Western Piece
by ZeldaAddict42
Summary: East Blue meets Old West AU. Another unanon from the OP fanforall. T for language and violence.
1. Straw Hatted Stranger and Devil's Gunman

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings: **Members of Luffy's family are mentioned in passing in this part, if that might spoil anything. This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to dandy wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me! If there was anything of particular note, and I feel like sharing, it will be elaborated upon in an end note.

**Part 1- The Stranger in the Straw Hat and the Devil's Gunman**

Luffy took a deep breath of the dry desert air, then chased it with a swig of water from his canteen. The scenery was mighty boring, but nothing could chase away the excitement of this brand new adventure. He adjusted the brim of his prized, straw cowboy hat to better block the glaring sun. The rickety, old mare he had finally talked his Grandpa into letting him take plodded steadily forward.

Grandpa Garp. That old bastard had been furious when he heard that his second grandson had no interest in joining up with the cavalry. Luffy's older brother Ace had already declined and left home as well. Luffy just wanted to live free and wild and go his own way. Like Shanks. He fingered the brim of his hat again.

A small dark blotch appeared on the horizon. Luffy squinted. Was that a town coming up, or just a mirage? As he got closer, he could make out the familiar outline of a fort and a small frown marred his formerly carefree features. Guess he wouldn't be staying here very long, then.

A flash of color to his right caught his eye. A man lay face down in the sand in nothing but a pair of long underwear. One arm was stretched in front of himself, and, from the look of things, he'd been dragging himself along for some time. Now that surely was an odd way to spend one's time!

Luffy hopped down from his saddle and prodded the prone form with a booted toe.

"Hey there, Mister! You should probably get in out of the sun."

The only response was a low moan and what might have been a curse of some sort. Luffy rolled the fellow over. His lips were dry and cracked and he was working up a nasty burn. Luffy retrieved his canteen and drizzled a little water between the parched lips.

Two hard, dark eyes shot open and focused on the young man in the straw hat. Luffy had seen eyes like this before, back home, on the gunfighters who had passed through Fuchsia. He felt a thrill of excitement. The stranger hauled himself upright painfully and swayed for a few moments before steadying. He shook the sand out of his hair and Luffy realized it was a pale green.

"Thanks for the water. Much obliged." With that terse response, the man turned and began walking away from town.

"Where're you going?" Luffy wondered aloud.

"To find the poor, stupid bastards that took my guns, my clothes, and my horse."

"Don't you want to look in town?"

The man paused mid-stride and looked over his shoulder. Noticing the buildings' silhouettes in the distance, he made an about face and continued walking. Luffy grabbed his horse's reins and scrambled to catch up with the stranger's brisk pace. The green haired man seemed to be doing his level best to ignore the company.

"What's your name? Mine's Luffy D. Monkey!" He held out a hand.

The other man glanced over, but did not extend a hand to shake. "Roronoa. Zoro Roronoa." The name sounded familiar, but Luffy couldn't place it.

"You said some guys took your guns. Are you a gunfighter?"

"Among other things."

"You must not be very good, if they took all your stuff..."

Zoro bristled, stopped suddenly, and leveled a glare at Luffy that would turn most men into spineless, quivering puddles of extremely apologetic goo. "They were cavalry men. I didn't expect this sort of thing, and they waited until I was asleep to jump me."

Luffy simply shrugged. "Oh. That's a raw deal, if I ever heard one!"

"If they're lucky," Zoro spat through clenched teeth, as he started walking again, "I'll have cooled down enough, by the time I find them, that at least some of them will live to regret it."

The rest of the walk into town was completed in silence. Luffy might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wasn't a total fool either. He had loads more questions for the taciturn man beside him, but now was clearly a bad time.

"_Maybe_," he thought to himself with a smile, "_he'll be more friendly once he gets his things back!_"

The two men skirted the fort and headed down the main street. They received a few odd looks, which was to be expected, seeing as one of them was walking around in his long johns. As the local saloon came into view, Zoro hissed in a sharp breath and quickened his pace. A black gelding at the hitching post whickered and nuzzled into the gunman's shoulder. It was the first time Luffy had seen the other man crack a smile, but his eyes were still cold and hard.

"You don't have to follow me in here." Zoro locked eyes with the boy in the straw hat. "This might get ugly."

"Hang on a minute," Luffy called out as he rifled through his saddle bags. He had stolen a pistol from his grandfather's gun cabinet, and he held the weapon out to the other man. "Here. You can borrow it. I'm not much good with one anyway. I prefer my fists!"

Zoro gave the gun a quick once over and checked to see that it was loaded. "Thanks."

* * *

Inside the saloon, a man named Helmeppo was telling a story to an avid audience of drunkards. He was the son of a terror of a Captain at the fort, so the locals tried to stay out of his way. Most of his listeners were just passing through, and thus had no basis for whether or not to believe what they were hearing.

"So then, on our way back here, I was challenged by Zoro Roronoa!"

"_The_ Roronoa? The Devil's Gunman?" a scruffy man asked, eyes wide.

"Who?" another inquired.

"He's a ruthless scoundrel of a gunman," Helmeppo drew attention back to himself. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted. Long story short, I shot him and took his belongings as my rightful prizes."

"You killed him?" It was the first man again. "I heard he cain't die!"

"Really?" That was the man who'd never heard of Roronoa.

"My hand to God! Heaven won't take him and Hell jest spits him back out!"

"Hell must have changed its policy," Helmeppo smirked, "because he's quite dead, I assure you." The braggart hadn't noticed that the attention of most of his listeners had shifted to the door at his back while he was speaking. Eyes widened, and several people even gasped aloud.

"That's a very interesting story," a dark voice uttered in a deadly tone. "Damn shame not a lick of it's true."

Helmeppo visibly paled, but valiantly attempted to keep his composure as he turned to face the irate Zoro.

"Lordy!" the scruffy man exclaimed. "Hell done spit him out again!"

"You have some things that belong to me," Zoro growled. "I suggest you give them back." He raised his borrowed weapon and pointed it at Helmeppo's head.

Three cavalry soldiers that had accompanied Helmeppo to the saloon warily surrounded the gunman. This brought back some of the liar's bravado.

"I don't think you're in any position to make demands!"

"Wrong answer." Zoro fired, knocking off Helmeppo's hat and grazing his scalp in the process. He dove under a table with a whimper.

The soldiers reached for their guns, but Zoro was faster than they'd anticipated. Two hand shots and one shoulder later, all three were disarmed.

"Don't move!" Zoro turned back around to see Helmeppo pointing a familiar gun with an ivory inlaid grip at his face. He didn't even flinch.

"There's only one bullet in that gun, and it ain't meant for me."

Helmeppo laughed mockingly and opened his mouth to retort, but was silenced quite effectively by a fist to the face. No one had paid any mind to the young man in the straw hat that had followed Roronoa into the saloon. Helmeppo wasn't conscious long enough to regret that tactical mistake. Now that the shooting had stopped and a punch had been thrown, an all out brawl broke out. One man ran out the front, hollering for the law.

Zoro scooped up his gun and dragged Luffy off to the side. "You'd better skedaddle while you can, kid! I appreciate the hand, but this ain't your fight!"

"Aren't you comin' along?" Luffy didn't like the idea of deserting his new friend.

"Take these," Zoro shoved the borrowed pistol and his own revolver into Luffy's hands, "and my horse and lie low. I've still got some business here. Treat that gun like it's made of gold, get me?" Then he turned the younger man around and gave him a shove towards the door. Luffy stumbled out into the street just as the sheriff, two deputies, and several more soldiers headed into the melee.

He tied the gelding's reins to the back of his own saddle and headed for a small rise just outside of town. From his new vantage point, he watched several men being led off to the hoosegow. Zoro, however, was led away to the fort by a group of soldiers, several nursing wounds, and Helmeppo.

Luffy pulled the rim of his hat down and grinned. Zoro wanted him to stay out of this, but he never had been very good at lying low...


	2. The Lady Thief and a Jailbreak

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings: **This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to dandy wonderous for beta-ing. While I'm at it, to my brand new, and very first, nephew, born Monday night. Also, happy birthday, Zoro!

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me! You will doubtless notice some major changes to many things in this part. Probably inadequate explanations can be found at the end.

**Part 2- The Lady Thief and a Jailbreak**

"Captain Morgan will deal with you tomorrow!"

Zoro was roughly shoved into a small holding cell. A figure in the corner stood up indignantly.

"Hey! You said I could have my own cell! You can't leave a helpless, young thing like me alone with," the other occupant paused to give the gunman a quick once over, "whoever this is!"

Zoro eyed his new cell mate like he might a poisonous snake. The angry, red haired woman was probably no innocent, judging from the rather scandalously form fitting dress she was wearing and the fact that she was imprisoned; then again, the gunfighter had never been all that comfortable around any women folk- least of all in his underwear! Also, there was an air about this one that made him very wary.

"Shut up, thieving wench! You probably deserve anything you get," the soldier with the keys sneered as he locked the door. The sound of a bugle call for assembly prompted the soldiers to leave. The key ring hung tauntingly on a nail by the doorway across the room. Zoro situated himself as far away from the woman as physically possible.

"Rough day?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Maybe." Zoro Roronoa was not known for his skills as a conversationalist.

"It's too bad you're not fully dressed. A belt buckle would be rather handy right now."

"Huh?"

"For the lock," she elaborated, rolling her eyes. "I already bent my hairpins."

"That's right, that soldier said you were a thief, didn't he?" He was suddenly glad he didn't have any of his belongings on him. They were probably safer with that blonde idiot Helmeppo!

"I'm not ashamed," she sniffed. "I'm quite good, actually. I only got caught because everybody suddenly went on alert on account of some fool causing a ruckus in town." Her eyes narrowed and a sinister grin spread across her features. "You wouldn't be that fool, by any chance?"

"I'm no fool," he grumbled, meeting her glare for glare. "Ain't my fault you didn't have a solid backup plan."

She humphed airily and returned to her corner. Zoro decided to make good use of the sudden quiet and stretched out for a nap.

* * *

The area surrounding the fort was generally peaceful, and townsfolk were permitted to enter and exit the cavalry post freely. In fact, the brass preferred that tradespeople come to them rather than the other way round. It was significantly easier to keep your men under your thumb if they weren't allowed to leave often.

As such, the half asleep front gate guardian gave the young fellow in the straw hat only a cursory glance as he strolled past. Evening assemblies here were notoriously long affairs, so Luffy found most of the buildings to be practically deserted, since most everyone was still out on the parade grounds. He peeked curiously through each door he passed, hoping to locate Zoro. He had already started to pass the room with the holding cell before he registered that he had seen a shock of familiar, green hair.

"Hey, Zoro! There you are!"

Zoro cracked one eye, grunted, and sat up with a joint popping stretch. He wanted to stay angry, but there was something about Luffy's broad grin that was disturbingly contagious.

"Thought I told you to lie low."

"Always used to get told I never listen," the boy chuckled. "In one ear and out the other!"

"What'd you do with my gun?"

"It's safe. I left it with the horses, just outside of town."

"How'd you even get in here?"

"Walked in through the front... Turns out they're having some kind of meeting, so most everybody's there."

"This is all very interesting," Zoro had forgotten about the woman until she spoke in a irritated tone, "but the keys aren't going to walk over here on their own."

Luffy cocked his head to the side and frowned slightly in confusion. "Who's this?" He directed the question to Zoro.

The gunman shrugged. "How should I know? She was here already. Some kinda thief or something."

Luffy thrust out a hand in the woman's direction. "I'm Luffy! Nice to meet ya!"

She made no move to take the outstretched hand, but when Luffy gave no indication whatsoever of pulling back, she rolled her eyes and shook hands with a firm grip.

"You can call me Nami. Heck, you can call me whatever you want, as long as you get those keys and let me out of here!"

"Okay!" Luffy grinned broadly before turning and heading for the nail by the door. Moments later, the cell door was open. "Let's go!"

"Can't." Zoro and Nami had spoken simultaneously and they eyed each other warily.

"Not leaving 'til I get back my other guns," Zoro scowled. "Wouldn't mind getting my clothes back, either."

"There's something here I want, too." Nami kept her face carefully blank. "I might be able to help you find your things, if you make sure I actually make it out of here this time."

"Okay!" Luffy readily agreed.

Zoro groaned and put a hand to his face. Great... Now he couldn't refuse or he'd look like a horse's ass! Why in tarnation was this kid so dang friendly and happy all the time?

"Fine," the gunfighter conceded, "but we'd better get moving. That assembly won't last forever."

It turned out that Nami had the layout down by heart. She had clearly put a lot of research into her initial plan, and Zoro almost felt bad for taunting her. Almost. They side-tracked briefly to some offices, into which the thief disappeared and then reappeared with several carefully rolled documents. Then, they headed for the private living quarters of Helmeppo.

"He's not even in the army," Nami explained, "but his father is his only family. His mother was rather wealthy, so thanks to a very generous donation, he's allowed to live here. Some of the, er, 'ladies' in town said he could pretty much get away with murder, if he wanted."

"Yeah," Zoro growled, "I know."

The captain's son lived in a small house of his own, situated behind some of the administrative buildings. The door was unlocked. There was a modestly furnished front room with a small kitchen area and a door leading to another room in the back.

Zoro found his missing guns in a cabinet full of other weapons. The thought of how the man had probably acquired them fueled the gunman's already burning rage. It was a lucky thing for the blonde that he wasn't currently home...

"What do you think you're doing?" The door to the back had opened, revealing Helmeppo. After having his scalp laceration dressed, he had come home to lie down. What did an assembly matter to him? He wasn't cavalry! Now, he found himself with the barrel of a gun under his chin and a very angry gunman in his face.

"I'm taking back what's mine," Zoro informed him. "Where are my clothes?"

"If you shoot me, you'll never get out of here alive!"

"Neither will you."

Helmeppo swallowed audibly. "They're in the back room." Zoro eyed his two companions and then passed off his second gun to Nami. She probably knew how to use one.

"I'll be right back. If this scum tries anything, wing 'im."

"Can do," the redhead chirped, grinning wickedly. Moments later, Zoro emerged from the back, fully clothed. Nami reluctantly returned the weapon.

"If you let me go, I swear I won't sound the alarm until you're long gone," Helmeppo made a last ditch attempt at bargaining.

"Like I'd trust your word again," the gunfighter sneered. "You're going to get us out the front gate with no questions asked. After that, well..." Zoro's decidedly evil grin was very fitting for a man known as the Devil's Gunman. "I've got plans for _you_!"

* * *

The gate guard had waved absently as Helmeppo left with a rather odd group of folks. Nami, having decided that staying in this town was too risky at the moment, had announced that she would be traveling with the boys at least as far as the next major city.

"I don't have a horse of my own, and you gentlemen wouldn't abandon little, old me, would you?"

Zoro had opened his mouth to say that, yes, he very well might, but Luffy beat him to the punch again.

"'Course not! The more the merrier!"

Nami rode behind Luffy on his horse, and Helmeppo was tied across the rump of Zoro's gelding. The town had disappeared over the horizon as the sun set.

"This is kidnapping!" Helmeppo complained loudly. "I'll make sure you're all wanted criminals after this!"

"Outlaws?" Luffy grinned broadly. "Great!"

"Don't worry," Zoro chuckled as he reined in his horse, "I'm about to let you go."

"Just like that?" Nami asked incredulously.

"It's about time you came to your senses!" Helmeppo scoffed. "Untie me at once!"

Zoro smirked at the restrained man. "Are you familiar with the phrase, 'turnabout is fair play?'" He didn't wait for a response before giving Helmeppo a sharp strike to the back of his head with the butt of one of his revolvers.

When the blonde awoke, it was dark and chilly and his clothes were missing.

**End Notes:**

I _do_ realize this is not canonically how they meet Nami. I completely omitted Buggy from my Western AU, since:

A) I decided not to use devil fruit abilities, and there isn't much to him without the Bara Bara attacks.  
B) I simply cannot see him fitting in a Western setting.  
C) I squished some bits together and he didn't really fit.  
D) He's kinda creepy and I don't particularly like him. (No offense, if you're a fan!)

Similarly, I didn't include a confrontation with Captain Morgan because I was stumped over how to handle the axe-hand. However, I might write an alternate scenario extra incorporating him. You may thank dandy wonderous for prompting that idea. As long as you're doing that, wish her a happy birthday!


	3. Share and Share Alike

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me! As I am sure you are aware, many One Piece characters do not have last names. All surnames assigned by me were given for a reason! See the end notes for further details.

**Part 3- Share and Share Alike**

Zoro hummed to himself under his breath as he tossed Helmeppo's hat onto the campfire to join most of the rest of the other man's clothing. The gunfighter had almost kept the hat as a trophy, seeing as the bullet hole was dead center and all, but it was too big to fit in his saddlebags and he'd never been all that sentimental. The gunman had decided to keep the socks, though. They were nice, thick, wool numbers, and, after a good washing, they looked to be mighty cozy.

Luffy'd gone off to locate some sort of meat for dinner.

Across the fire, Nami was alternating between warming her hands at the blaze and rubbing her arms.

"Cold?"

"Well," Nami rolled her eyes, "you certainly have a gift for stating the obvious. Aren't you cold, too?"

"I seem to be wearing more clothing."

"A lady on her own has to use all of her... 'assets' to their full potential, if she wants to survive." She leaned forward as she spoke, providing quite a view. Zoro knew it was completely intentional, and made a point of looking anywhere _except_ at said "assets." "A _gentleman_," she stressed each syllable of the word, "would offer a lady his coat."

"Don't know whether or not you've noticed," Zoro chuckled, "but I ain't exactly a gentleman."

Nami opened her mouth to retort, then barely stifled a scream as the headless body of a good sized rattlesnake landed next to her.

"We can eat that, right?" Luffy asked. "You said, 'if it moves we can eat it,' right?"

"I surely did." Poorly concealed laughter was audible in Zoro's tone. "Snake's some fine eating."

Luffy fished a can of beans and a skillet out of his saddlebags, and soon supper was sizzling over the flames.

"I can't believe I'm having snake and beans for dinner!" Nami made a face at her plate.

"'S good!" Luffy exclaimed through a mouth full of food. "If you don't want yours, I'll eat it!"

"I never said I wouldn't eat it!" Nami batted away an encroaching hand holding a fork. Luffy sulked and Zoro snickered. Giving each man a pointed glare, she took a large bite, chewed carefully, and swallowed.

"Good?" There was a clear challenge in the gunman's question.

Nami didn't reply. She simply cleaned her plate.

After supper, everyone got ready to bed down for the night. Nami hadn't really brought anything along but the clothes on her back. A gruff "hey" was her only warning before a blanket almost hit her in the face.

"Zoro?" She raised one eyebrow in inquiry.

"It's cold," he said casually. He stretched out next to the dying fire and pulled his hat down over his face. "Besides, I still have my coat."

Nami snorted, but wrapped herself in the blanket anyway.

Luffy looked back and forth between the two for a moment, before shrugging and curling up under his own blanket.

"Good night, all!"

"'Night, Luffy."

Zoro's only response was snoring.

* * *

When Luffy awoke the next morning, Zoro was already up and checking over his guns. Other than the gunman, the immediate area was empty.

"Where's Nami?"

"Took a walk," Zoro informed him absently. "Said she wanted to scout ahead a bit."

"Do you do that every morning?" Luffy wondered. The smooth, sure motions of Zoro's hands indicated the actions had been performed many times.

"Every morning I plan to keep on living." Zoro looked up and locked eyes with Luffy. "Did you clean your pistol after I fired it?" Luffy shook his head. "Go get it then," Zoro instructed him, "and I'll teach you to take proper care of it."

"Could you teach me to shoot, too?" Luffy asked, eyes twinkling. "A proper outlaw ought to know how to hold his own in a shootout, right?"

"You still on about that outlaw business? That blowhard's probably too embarrassed to actually report anything..."

"I'm gonna be a notorious outlaw, someday." Zoro could tell that Luffy was dead serious. "You should be in my gang. I'll need some skilled gunmen."

"Oh, sure thing, _Boss_." Unfortunately for Zoro, Luffy either completely ignored or was oblivious to the sarcasm.

"Hee. 'Boss.' I like the sound of that..."

"Luffy?" Zoro waited for the younger man to snap out of whatever crazy daydream he'd been indulging. "Your gun?"

"Hey, you know, in exchange, I can help you with your hand to hand!"

"I can hold my own in a brawl, thanks."

"Aw, c'mon," Luffy wheedled. "I'm pretty good! They used to call my grandpa 'The Fist.' He taught me to box. 'Course, that was probably just an excuse to _hit_ me..."

Zoro eyed the boy's wiry limbs, a skeptical expression on his face.

"Stand up," Luffy insisted. "It's all in the momentum. Gotta' punch from the hip!"

He caught the other man in the left shoulder, and Zoro stumbled back with a surprised grunt. Guess there really _was_ something to that "momentum" talk. The gunman also discovered that Luffy was amazingly fast. It was all he could do to block most of the punches with his forearms. Sometimes it seemed like Luffy had more than two arms! A fist slipped through, slammed squarely into Zoro's jaw, and he found himself staring up at a grinning face from flat on his back.

"See? Told ya."

Zoro stood up and brushed the dirt and sand off the back of his legs, jaw set determinedly.

"Alright. Show me that again..."

* * *

When Nami finally came back, the boys had finished boxing lessons, covered basic weapon maintenance, and Zoro was in the process of correcting Luffy's misconceptions about firing a gun.

"Don't pull," Zoro repeated for probably the tenth time. "Squeeze."

"But-"

"_Don't. Pull_."

"Alright, alright! I gotcha... Squee-" and the pistol fired. The horses both panicked and bolted, taking the dry tree limb to which they had been tied along with them. Zoro swore a blue streak that Nami found both highly offensive and strangely awe inspiring.

"I thought you said it was unloaded!" Zoro fumed.

"Must have missed one! Sorry..."

"Sorry? Sorry?" Zoro clenched his fists until the knuckles cracked and took several slow, deep breaths. "I'm going after the horses. Pack up the rest of camp while I'm gone?"

"Okay..."

"While you're at it, clean that pistol again. You could use the practice."

Zoro startled almost imperceptibly when he turned and saw Nami standing right behind him. Apparently neither man had heard her arrival. He nodded sharply in acknowledgement and departed, grumbling all the way.

"Quite a temper he's got, huh?" Nami attempted to be sympathetic. Luffy was looking down, messy bangs hiding his face. When he looked up, Nami was surprised to see a wide grin.

"I know! Scary, right? He'll make a great outlaw! You can join my gang, too, if you want."

"Gang?" Nami blinked.

"Yep! I'm gonna have to come up with the perfect name for us. It'll be great! Luffy D. Monkey, Zoro Roronoa, and Nami... Say, what _is_ your last name?"

"Dunn," she mumbled, still a little taken aback. Then, having collected her wits, she frowned. "Listen, Mister, I don't care what you and your buddy do with yourselves, but I am most certainly not joining a gang of outlaws!"

"Aw... Why not? You're already a thief. That's pretty close, isn't it?"

"No," she retorted, tone icy, "it isn't."

Luffy shrugged. "Okay, but if you ever change your mind, I'll keep a spot open for you."

He looked positively dejected, and Nami found it was pretty hard to stay angry at someone who was just so darn _nice_.

"I've known some pretty nasty outlaws," she offered by way of explanation. "I've seen gangs do some awful things, and I just can't be associated with that."

"I get it." Somehow, she knew that he honestly did. His contagious grin was back, and they set about cleaning up the camp in a companionable silence.

Zoro eventually returned with the horses. ("Blasted desert all looks the same!") He never verbally apologized for the earlier outburst, but he complimented their cleanup job and the underlying meaning was understood. They shared a light lunch of hardtack and jerky as they rode west.

**End Notes:**

"Snake and beans" is _not _meant as innuendo. Seriously. It just amuses me deeply. I've been told snake tastes like chicken.

Nami's last name is derived from Rose Dunn aka "The Rose of Cimarron," an actual female outlaw. I selected the name for Nami after reading about the shootout in Ingalls, Oklahoma. I _defy_ anyone to read about that and tell me it doesn't ring any bells with regards to retrieving weapons for other people. (Yes, I am being _intentionally_ vague...)

Also, I'm majorly guilting that the story only goes to just after Arlong Park... People keep asking about Chopper and Robin... Even Brook! I think I'll go find a nice corner and melt into a sulky pile of misery and guilt...


	4. A Liar, A Lunch, and A Fair Lady

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me! As I am sure you are aware, many One Piece characters do not have last names. All surnames assigned by me were given for a reason! See the end notes for further details.

**Part 4- A Liar, a Lunch, and a Fair Lady**

Nami informed them that the nearest town was some place called Syrup. The combination of a small canyon and a spring running into a small river created a rarity: a desert swamp. Supposedly the mud was as sticky, and approximately the same color, as maple syrup. Luffy was thrilled, even after being informed that it would taste nothing like the pancake topping.

As soon as the town appeared as a smudge on the horizon, Luffy's excitement became uncontainable. The jumping up and down and wild gesticulations didn't appear to bother the endlessly patient, old mare, but Nami soon became annoyed with the boy's child-like enthusiasm. Fortunately for her, Zoro had an extremely low tolerance for whining, and she got to ride behind _him_ the rest of the way. He was surly, certainly, but at least he was quiet about it.

There was a small outcropping of rock to their right. As they approached the small town, something zinged through the air and into the dirt in front of Zoro's horse. The gelding snorted and shuffled back a few steps, eyes wide and nostrils flaring. Zoro quickly dismounted, and Nami thought it prudent to follow suit.

"Beware, rogues!" a voice boomed from the general direction of the rocks. "This town is the main base of the infamous Usopp 'Dead Eye' Vaughan and his gang! If you're here looking for trouble, you'd better think twice!"

"Was that a bullet?" Luffy wondered, eying the spot where the projectile hit.

"Nope." Zoro carefully scanned the outcropping for movement. "Never heard a gun fire." Truly, a shot would have echoed in the open space.

"Well, I've never heard of this 'Usopp' character," Nami scoffed as she crouched down to search for the mysterious object, "have you?"

"Federal marshals quake in fear at the name!" the voice shouted, tone now slightly indignant.

"Golly!" Luffy's voice was ever so slightly hushed in awe. "I'd sure like to meet him! You suppose the guy up there knows him?"

"Luffy," Nami rolled her eyes, "he _is_ the guy up there..."

"That's right!" the voice affirmed. "So... Beware, rogues!"

"You said that already," Nami informed him.

"Oh? Then, tremble, scoundrels! My eighty men and I aren't afraid to draw first blood!"

"Eighty men!" Luffy definitely sounded more excited than afraid. "Where?"

"He's lying," Nami concluded. She eyed the smooth pebble she had found embedded in the ground, bouncing it lightly in her palm.

"Are you really willing to take that chance?" Usopp challenged.

"I surely am." Zoro smirked, brushing his coat back to allow his hands to hover over his gun holsters. "I'm also willing to shoot the first thing I see movin' over there."

"Upon reflection," Usopp responded after a heavy pause, "violence is unnecessary! What say we discuss this face to face like men?" When there was no immediate reply, he continued, voice cracking. "I-I'm coming out now! My hands are up! D-don't shoot me, please!"

The figure that appeared from behind the rocks was a lanky, young man that appeared to be around Luffy's age. He was dressed in a well worn pair of brown overalls, and a lighter brown bandana tied over unruly black hair. He was quaking from his toes to the tip of his curiously long nose.

"No worries," Luffy assured with a grin, proffering his hand, much as he had with Nami. "Zoro wouldn't really shoot you for no reason! Right, Zoro?"

Zoro eyed the slingshot tucked in the stranger's bib pocket, then shifted his cold glare to the wide, dark eyes above it. "I won't this time. But, just so you know, I consider firing on me reason enough."

Usopp laughed nervously, and rather hysterically, as he shook Luffy's hand. "S-sorry about that! Syrup's a small, out of the way town. Nothing exciting ever happens around here, and most of the town would like to keep it that way..."

"So they asked you to harass travelers?" Nami asked skeptically.

"Well, no," Usopp mumbled, reddening slightly. "You guys just seemed a little suspicious, and I didn't want any trouble..."

"If you don't want it, you shouldn't start any," Zoro groused.

"Let me make it up to you," Usopp offered.

"Great!" Luffy gave the other a boy a slap to the back that knocked him forward a step. "You can buy us lunch! I'm starving!"

* * *

Syrup wasn't often a final destination for travelers, but it was a stop on several stagecoach lines. As such, the town had a small hotel with a restaurant on the main floor. While the traveler's ate, Usopp regaled them with wild stories. Luffy was the only one who couldn't easily see through the outrageous exaggerations.

"You sure talk fancy!" Luffy noted.

"I read a lot," Usopp admitted. "My mother used to be a school teacher, and she had lots of books. Someday, I'm going to see the whole world on my own, instead of just reading about it."

"Your dad always talked about traveling, too," Luffy mumbled around a mouthful of food. "Are you as good a shot as he is?"

The table went very quiet, and all eyes were on Luffy. He continued eating, oblivious to the stir his offhand comment had made.

"You've met my father?" Usopp asked quietly.

"Uh huh," Luffy affirmed absently. "He was riding with Shanks, last time I saw him."

Zoro raised an eyebrow. Shanks was a pretty well known crminal. "So, your old man's an outlaw, huh?"

"Yeah. He left when I was very young. I hardly remember him at all." Usopp was clearly trying for indifferent, but the underlying hurt was easily distinguishable. Even Luffy, almost completely devoid of tact as he was, decided not to take this topic of discussion any further. Usopp was slightly embarrassed by the silence.

"It's alright, though," he insisted. "I can understand why he would want more to life than a tiny, quiet town. You have to admire someone who can live their life with no regrets..."

A grandfather clock in the corner chimed one, and Usopp snapped to attention.

"At any rate," he cleared his throat, "I have some urgent business elsewhere. Enjoy the rest of your meal, and good luck to you all!" He was out the door almost before the others could blink.

"I wonder," Nami mused as she stirred her drink absently with the tip of one finger, "if this place is so boring, what could possibly be so interesting?"

"It's not our business," Zoro reminded her. "Let's rustle up some supplies, maybe find another horse, and move on out."

"Another horse?" Luffy cocked his head to the side. "What for? I don't mind sharing."

Zoro and Nami both ignored the question. Clearly he _did_ mind sharing, and she knew it would be easier to head off on her own, when the time came, if she had her own transportation.

"I saw a ranch just south of town," she offered casually. "We could look there."

* * *

The ranch itself was quite small, and the outlying areas had been left to run down after the owner's death from a sudden illness. He had been a well off banker back east, who had moved west with his new wife in search of a lifestyle wholly different from the cramped and bustling cities. They had lived together happily and prosperously, welcoming a single daughter into their lives, until both man and wife had suddenly passed away. Their daughter, Kaya, inherited the ranch and family fortune, but she was too young to fully comprehend all that it entailed. She drew into herself and slowly languished. Care of the estate had fallen to Merry, the butler who had followed them west, and Klahadore, the head ranch hand.

Usopp couldn't help but be taken by the romance of the situation. It was like one of the novels in his mother's collection. It had taken weeks to work up the nerve, but he had approached the girl as she went for a walk around the grounds. At first, she had brushed aside his attention, but then he won her over with a funny story. Now, both lonely teens looked forward to a daily stroll together.

Usopp fell in beside Kaya, trying, rather unsuccessfully, to mask the fact that he had run all the way from town. She graciously ignored his panting, instead adjusting the bonnet which shielded her fair complexion from the sun.

"I was afraid you mightn't come," she whispered.

"A group of strangers rode into town today," Usopp explained. "I had to make sure they were trustworthy, and I lost track of time."

"What were they like?" Kaya asked breathlessly. Travelers had been few and far between of late, and Usopp's descriptions were always entertaining.

"There were three of them; two men and a woman. One man wore a straw hat and rode a horse that looked half dead. He looked innocent enough, but I could tell it was just a front to throw others off balance. His eyes were shifty, and he was always smiling. Someone told me once that you should never trust a man who's all smiles. The second man was his complete opposite, all brooding and serious. He was dressed all in black and green, and he carried three guns."

"Three guns?" Kaya giggled. "Can one really fire more than two?"

"Not at the same time, of course," Usopp grinned right back, "but I'm sure it was mostly for effect. He had cold, hard eyes, and I knew that he'd used those guns before."

"The woman," Kaya prodded, "was she beautiful?"

"I suppose she was, in a sultry way." Usopp shifted slightly closer, trying to catch a glimpse of Kaya's face out of the corner of his eye. "A little too worldly for my tastes. She had a calculating air about her. She was clearly a schemer, and probably the brains of the operation."

"Weren't you frightened to approach them, Usopp?"

"I was wary, certainly, but not afraid."

As the couple walked onward, their conversation was no longer clear to the figure that had been watching them from a short distance away. Klahadore frowned as he straightened his black string tie. That boy from town might prove to be a nuisance, as he always seemed to be nearby. A small smile quirked the corner of the man's lips. It was no matter, really. Surely one boy couldn't disrupt years of careful planning!

Klahadore turned his horse in the opposite direction from the walking couple. He had an important meeting with an old friend...

**End Notes:**

There really _is_ such a thing as a "desert swamp." I had to go with that, since sugar maples will not grow in the southwest, and I suddenly have urges to be at least remotely authentic.

Finding a last name for Usopp gave me some trouble. There is no shortage of outlaws who talked a big game, but most of them were total asses and I couldn't do that to Usopp. I went with a slightly different angle. His name is taken from Hank Vaughan. Hank was small and appeared non-threatening, so most other men seriously underestimated how great a shot he was. I feel like Usopp is like that. Enemies dismiss him as a threat, until somebody takes a tabasco star to the face...

Also, I never _really _melted into a pile of misery and guilt. I just like to be melodramatic when I whine. (Maybe that's why I get such a kick out of writing Usopp most of the time...)


	5. The Black Cat

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 5- The Black Cat**

The Straw Hat Gang, as Luffy had insisted they refer to themselves, despite all protests, had left the horses stabled in town. As they walked toward the ranch, Nami continued to try and argue with the stubborn boy she refused to call "Boss."

"We're hardly a gang at all anyway, seeing as there are only three of us, and I'm not planning on staying!"

"We already decided, though..." Luffy frowned at her, bottom lip stuck out in a pout.

"No," Nami ground out between clenched teeth, "_you_ decided, all on your own!"

"Well, I _am_ the boss, you know," he declared, as though this logic should make everything clear as crystal.

Nami barely stifled a yell of frustration. Zoro found himself pinned by a death glare when he had the audacity to snicker.

"And _you_!" The angry redhead jabbed at Zoro's chest with a sharp finger. "Why aren't you putting up more of a fight? You didn't want to be in his gang, either!"

"I know better than to try arguing with somebody what can out-stubborn a mule," the gunman explained as he caught the girl's wrist in a firm grip. "Quit poking me. At any rate, the kid's starting to grow on me. Figure I may as well humor him, as long as I stick around."

"You'll call me 'Boss,' won't you, Zoro?" The pout was now directed full force at the gunfighter. Nami attempted to counter it with another glare. Zoro was decidedly uncomfortable. If only there was some kind of distraction...

"Hey, that fellow over there has red spectacles!"

"Really?" It worked like a charm on Luffy. Nami hadn't even flinched.

"Oh, please! That's the oldest trick in the-"

"They're a real funny shape, too!" Luffy hooted. That piqued her interest. She should have figured Zoro wasn't the creative sort...

The close proximity to the river gave the area an unusual lushness compared to the surrounding sands. Among the verdure were a smattering of trees. One such tree stood nearby, the man in the odd glasses leaning against the trunk. Spectacles were rather rare and expensive, as they had to be custom made, and these were not only unique in color, they were also made in the shape of hearts. He swung a large, gold pocket watch in front of himself like a pendulum.

Even though he had clearly drawn the attention of the passing trio, he didn't acknowledge their presence. Instead, he gazed expectantly down the road in the direction they had been heading.

"Right then," Zoro declared, "where were we?" He started off down the road again, taking advantage of the diversion to put a little distance between himself and the other two.

Nami started to follow, before she noticed Luffy was still gawking at the stranger. She pinched one of his ears between her thumb and the first knuckle of her index finger and tugged sharply.

"Hurry up," she chastened, "we've got things to do! Besides, it's impolite to stare."

"Ow! Leggo, Nami! I'm coming, honest..." She ignored his protests and continued dragging him along by his ear. "You're supposed to _respect_ the boss," he whined.

"I thought I made it pretty clear that you aren't my boss!" Nami was so busy glaring over her shoulder at Luffy, she almost ran into the back of Zoro.

The gunman had paused to watch a man on horseback pass. The others joined him. The man on the horse gave off a stern aura. Like the other stranger they had met on the road, he wore spectacles, but his were of the typical variety. He gave them each a cool, disinterested glance in passing.

"I don't think I like him," Luffy observed in an unusually serious tone.

"Why not?" Nami asked, even as she suppressed a shudder.

"Dunno," Luffy shrugged. "I just don't." Just as suddenly as it had vanished, the boy's broad grin was back. "Look, it's Usopp!"

Sure enough, the long-nosed young man could be seen approaching. He looked surprised to see the three travelers again.

"What in the world are you all doing out here?" he inquired.

"We were hoping the ranch might have a horse we could purchase," Nami explained. "What are _you_ doing out here? I thought you said you lived in town."

"Yes, well, I happen to be a close friend of the, uh, ranch owner." Usopp flushed slightly. "It's a pretty small ranch, they have a few yoke oxen and some other cattle, but I think all the horses are in use."

"Well, it couldn't hurt to ask, I suppose," Nami persisted.

"There's no reason to bother the owner," Usopp insisted. "I suppose the person who would know best about the horse situation is the head ranch hand, Klahadore. I should probably warn you, though, he's not very friendly."

Nami and Zoro exchanged a pointed glance.

"Tall, dark haired man?" Nami asked.

"Wears spectacles and dresses in black?" Zoro added.

Usopp nodded, slightly dumbfounded. "Do you know him?"

"He rode past here a few minutes ago," Luffy contributed. "You're right, he wasn't very friendly at all."

"That's odd," Usopp mused, "he usually spends most of his time on the ranch. The butler, Merry, does most of the supply shopping. I wonder what he's doing..."

"Let's go see!" With no further warning, Luffy grabbed Usopp's wrist and dragged him back down the road toward town at a sprint.

"Luffy!" Nami called after him in vain. She turned her petulant frown on Zoro. "Well, aren't you going after him?"

"I ain't running," the gunman informed her. He began walking back toward town just the same. "How much trouble can he get into by the time we get there, anyhow?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Nami confided to no one in particular, before heading off to catch up with Zoro.

* * *

Jango pushed his red glasses further up the bridge of his nose and watched the watch swinging back and forth. His old boss was sure taking his sweet time... There had been no contact whatsoever form the man for years, then a telegram had arrived at an old haunt of the gang's.

_Meet me in two weeks at the live oak south of Syrup. Don't draw attention.  
__-The Black Cat_

Jango supposed that the message _could_ have been more vague, but it would have been damned difficult! Still, he knew better than to anger the man. The signature alone had sent a shiver down his spine. Bad luck always did seem to follow anyone who crossed his path.

"You were instructed not to draw attention." Jango jumped and whipped around to face the former boss of the Black Cat Gang. The address had not been loud, but the cold tone was as effective as any shout. "Those ridiculous glasses of yours are a nuisance..."

"I'm rather attached to them, myself. Many apologies, Kuro-"

"_Never_," this time the man's voice _was_ raised, "use that name again!" The calm front was reestablished within moments. "In this town, I am known as Klahadore. Mark it well."

"Certainly, Boss," Jango settled on a neutral form of address.

"Did any of the old gang accompany you?"

"Sam and Butch came along. There are a couple of new faces, as well."

"I hope they prove dependable. I want tomorrow to go exactly as planned."

"A job?" Jango couldn't believe his ears. "I thought you'd left all that behind you, Kuro- er, Boss." That earned him an icy stare he knew was his last warning.

"This isn't going to be a robbery," Klahadore clarified. "At least, not of the sort to which you are accustomed." He took Jango's continued silence as an invitation to elaborate. "I've spent the last several years working as the head ranch hand at the Bar K ranch just down the road. The original owner and his wife both died suddenly and tragically from a mysterious illness a short time after I was hired."

"I wonder what that 'mysterious illness' could have been," Jango chuckled. Klahadore glared him back into silence before continuing.

"In the woman's case, I suspect consumption. As for the owner, well, perhaps he took ill from something he ate... At any rate, the entire estate was left to their only child, a daughter. From a thriving ranch, the place has dwindled to bare subsistence. The child knows nothing of business, poor dear." The seemingly kind words were belied by the man's sneering tone. "Living so far outside of town, with so few staff on hand nowadays, it would be understandable if a passing gang of cattle rustlers were to take advantage of the situation. It would be an unfortunate tragedy if the girl were to be killed in the process."

"I see," Jango nodded, "but what do you need the boys and me for? You could probably hire-"

"Are you still as... 'persuasive' as I recall, Jango?" Klahadore interrupted with a question. Jango swung the pocket watch in a lazy circle, grinning all the while. "Good. The ranch has great potential in the right hands: my hands. The young lady is going to write a will leaving everything to me, in the event of her passing. You'll see to that for me, won't you? I'll reward you and 'the boys' appropriately."

There was a sudden rustling in the scrub nearby. With a lazy flick of his wrist, Klahadore sent a throwing knife hurtling toward the spot. There was no further noise or motion. He cocked his head to the side and stared at the spot for a moment, before deciding it had probably been some sort of vermin. Zoro and Nami could be seen in the distance, coming down the road.

"Be at the main ranch gate tomorrow at dawn," Klahadore instructed imperiously. He remounted his horse and rode back toward the ranch at a trot. Jango pulled his hat down lower and slouched off in the opposite direction.

Nami and Zoro paused at the tree. Zoro squinted toward town, but all he could see was the man with the strange glasses. Well, he was pretty sure it was the same guy. He looked a little different from behind.

"Shouldn't we have caught up with them?" Nami grumped, fists on hips. "We just saw that Klahadore guy on his way home; wasn't that who they were chasing?"

A wiry figure dashed out of the nearby brush. "Nami! Zoro! The ranch is gonna get attacked tomorrow!" Luffy was practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

"What?" Nami blinked at both Luffy's sudden appearance and the out of the blue proclamation.

"Hold still," Zoro commanded, grabbing the antsy boy's jaw and turning it to examine his ear. "You're bleeding." Something had nicked the shell of Luffy's ear, taking out a small chunk of the rim.

"Kuro almost caught us spying." Usopp rose slowly from the same clump of bushes from which Luffy had sprung, knees knocking, a bloody throwing knife in one hand.

"Kuro?" Zoro quirked one eyebrow. "As in the Black Cat Bandit?"

"Isn't he dead?" Nami wondered. "I thought you were chasing that guy from the ranch..."

"Klahadore _is_ Kuro!" Usopp exclaimed, arms flailing. "He's not dead," he added, rather redundantly.

Zoro looked up from examining the knife. "It's possible," he conceded. The gunman ran his thumb over the rough shape of a cat's head burned into the leather wrapping the knife hilt. "They couldn't really confirm it was him after the shootout; he took a shotgun blast to the face."

Nami shuddered. "Well, that's an image I didn't need! What would he be doing here?"

"He's gonna kill Usopp's lady friend and take over her ranch!" Luffy informed them. Usopp glowed bright red.

"Sh-she's not my lady friend!"

"Sure she is," Luffy insisted. "You said she's your friend, and she's a lady!"

"Anyway, what's all this about killing?" Nami prompted. The explanation that followed was disjointed, full of random interruptions and tangents, and several parts had to be repeated. When the summation of the overheard conversation was complete, there was a moment of silence.

"So," Zoro finally spoke, "you gonna do anything about it?"

"What can _I_ do?" Usopp asked helplessly. "No one's going to believe me if I try to tell them! You guys only believe me because Luffy heard it, too!"

"You should stop him," Luffy said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"On my own?" Usopp squeaked. Then he looked at the knife and thought of what he had overheard, clenching his jaw and squaring his shoulders. "Well, I certainly can't sit back and do nothing!"

"I'll help, if you want." Luffy fingered the injury to his ear. "I knew I didn't like that guy..."

"You're just looking for an excuse to fight, aren't you?" Nami rolled her eyes. "Hey, Usopp, this girl? She's rich, right?"

"I guess. I'm not really sure..."

"Seems to me somebody might want to reward someone who helps save their life, right?"

"Um..."

"I'm not much of a fighter," Nami concluded, "but I'll do what I can."

"When's this going down?" Zoro asked.

"You, too?" Usopp couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I don't need an excuse. I never turn down a fight," the gunman smirked.

"Tomorrow at dawn." Usopp held out his right hand, palm down. One by one, the others put their hands in as well.

"Tomorrow at dawn."

**End Notes:**

Regarding Jango's glasses, they _did_ have colored glasses during this time period. It's highly unlikely any would be heart-shaped, but since my Jango is so toned down otherwise, I figured I'd leave him his eyewear.

I couldn't find any inspiration for an original ranch name, so I settled for a mash-up of Bar S and Circle K. What?

I started out telling myself that I wasn't going to change any of the names. Then I realized that the Meowban brothers (Siam and Butchy, was it?) were very close to classic western names: Sam and Butch. They're pretty much only there to look threatening and then get taken down several pegs, so I let that change slide.


	6. Dawn Breaks

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me.

**Part 6- Dawn Breaks**

Usopp took the others back to his home "to plan," but things didn't turn out quite as expected. Zoro was the first to fall asleep, and after that, no one could really be sure. It wasn't until Usopp's elbow slipped and he fell out of his chair with a crash that panic set in on the small group.

"What time is it?" Usopp howled, horrified. "What if we're too late?"

"It's still mostly dark," Nami soothed, gesturing toward the window. The lightening of the eastern sky was only false dawn. "If we hurry, we can still make it by dawn."

"We'd have to ride at full gallop." Zoro frowned. "I'm not sure the horses can keep up that pace with two riders apiece." The "especially Luffy's" remained unsaid.

"Guess we'll have to split up," Luffy shrugged. "Two of us can ride ahead with the horses, and the other two can follow on foot."

"I'm going with the horses," Usopp declared, firmly. "I need to know that Kaya's okay."

"I'll go, too," Nami volunteered. "If we're quick, maybe we can bring Kaya away with us, so she won't be in any danger."

"Shouldn't at least one fighter go?" Zoro scoffed. "What are you two going to do if you run into trouble?"

"We're not _totally_ helpless! Right, Usopp?"

"Uh, right!" Usopp agreed, rather hesitantly. "Besides, maybe we can slip through easier because we don't look threatening!"

"Exactly! We don't have time to argue anyway, so let's go!" Nami grabbed Usopp's arm and dragged him out the front door.

"Wait just a dang minute!" Zoro called after the pair. He would have followed them outside immediately, but he tripped over Luffy, who had rushed toward the doorway at the same time. The two men untangled themselves in time to see Nami bolt past on Zoro's gelding with Usopp close behind on Luffy's shockingly spry old mare.

"I just got that horse back..." Zoro huffed in irritation. Luffy darted by out of the corner of his eye.

"Hurry up, Zoro," he called back over his shoulder, "or we'll miss out on all the fun!" Then he disappeared around the corner of a building.

Zoro headed for the edge of town and frowned at the view before him. How had he ended up at the river?

On the other end of town, Luffy was contemplating a familiar, rocky outcropping.

* * *

Usopp and Nami skirted the main entrance, instead heading for a small stretch of fencing that Usopp remembered had fallen down and never been repaired. They dismounted and led the horses in through the back door of a large barn near the main house. Usopp tied the animals to an old wagon in one corner of the building and gestured for Nami to follow him.

"Let's head for the loft," he whispered. "We should be able to see everything from there."

The loft was accessed by a rickety ladder. Usopp pressed down on a rung with one hand and winced as it bowed slightly beneath the pressure.

"Ladies first!" Usopp offered.

"I couldn't possibly," Nami countered. "I'm wearing a skirt. You have to go first!"

"What if I promise not to look?" If looks could kill, Usopp was certain he'd be stone dead. "Right, then! I'll go first to make sure it's safe. If anything should happen to me-"

"Just _go_!"

A few, tense moments later, they had both made it up to the loft safely. They crawled over to the loft doors and peered out at the grounds. The main gate could only just be seen in the distance to the north, but it was impossible to make out the presence of any people in the dim light. The main house stood across from them, dark and silent.

"Kaya's room is the last window on the right, on the second floor," Usopp informed Nami in a breathy whisper. She gave him an odd look, one eyebrow raised. He rolled his eyes. "She showed me which window was hers while we were out walking, once."

"Look," Nami gasped, pointing, "someone's on the porch!"

A familiar figure in black was leaning against the porch railing, looking at the eastern sky. Klahadore's head turned slowly toward the north as the edge of the sun peeked over the horizon. The light glinted off the lenses of his glasses. He stood and began to walk away from the dwelling, passing by the barn on his way. The former bandit paused in the doorway.

"There's nothing you can do." Both Nami and Usopp jumped at the low comment that was clearly addressed to them. How had he known where they were? "If you leave now, perhaps I'll allow you to live. It would be unfortunate if a meddlesome local were to be caught up in the attack today." Klahadore continued on his way, footsteps nearly silent.

Usopp swallowed audibly, momentarily stricken speechless by the unexpected threat. Nami rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently in a silent show of support. They both watched their foe walk toward the gate.

As the dawn light crept further, they could make out a cloud of dust near the main gate. Something was definitely going on over there!

Usopp sat up, pulling out his slingshot and a bag of stones. Nami scanned the area for anything she could use as a weapon, eyes finally settling on a wooden handle that had likely once belonged to a shovel or pitchfork. She gripped it tightly in her hands and took up her position next to Usopp once more.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked.

"I have to be," Usopp replied, jaw set in a determined expression.

* * *

In a stroke of good luck, Luffy and Zoro had both found the road toward the ranch at about the same time. They hurried forward at a brisk pace. Zoro looked at a conspicuously unoccupied spot at the other man's hip.

"You don't have your gun," he noted.

"I'm not real good with it, yet. I figure it's probably safer if I don't press my luck," Luffy explained.

"It may be, at that," Zoro nodded. "You have any sort of weapon on you? The Black Cat Gang is going to be armed. From what I've heard, they tended to favor knives in the past, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are guns today." Zoro stopped suddenly and crouched down. He pulled a sheathed knife from his left boot and held it out to Luffy. "Here. You can't go into this unprepared."

Luffy looked like he wanted to argue for a moment, but then he took the proffered weapon with a simple, "Thanks." He tucked the sheath into the waistband of his pants, at the small of his back. Even if he wasn't sure he'd actually use it, its presence was reassuring.

When the main gate of the Bar K came into view, so did a small group of five people. The first was the man with the strange spectacles from the day before. The next two men were more or less unremarkable, if a little scruffy. The final two men were a study in opposites. The first was of average height, though it was masked slightly by a pronounced slouch, and wiry, while the other stood a full head higher than the others and was almost as wide.

Jango frowned at the unexpected arrivals. What were these boys doing walking around this early in the morning? It could be trouble if they got nosy, and Ku- _the Boss_ had been pretty insistent that there be no hitches in the works. Then he noticed that the taller one was armed.

"Good morning," Jango offered cautiously. "It's awfully early for a stroll, isn't it?"

"We're going to the ranch," Luffy stated simply.

"We're... meeting some friends," Zoro added, one corner of his mouth curving up into a smirk.

"What a coincidence," Jango smirked back, "so are we." He locked gazes with Zoro and the tension level rose.

"Who are _you_ meeting?" Luffy wondered.

"It's not important. All you need to know," Jango sneered, taking a better fighting stance, "is that you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is your last chance to turn around and walk away."

Luffy's smile never faltered, but his tone was no longer quite so cheerful. "Sorry, but if you want us to go, I reckon you're gonna have to _make_ us."

Jango cocked his head at the mismatched pair. "Sam, Butch, keep an eye out for the Boss." Then, his attention turned to his remaining cohorts. "Billy, Clyde, this is a great opportunity to prove yourselves."

One of the two stepped forward. "I'll take the one who fancies himself a gunman, Clyde," he taunted. "Of course," the next comment was addressed to Zoro, "wouldn't be very sporting of you to shoot an unarmed man..."

"Oh, you're armed." Zoro watched the other man move closer. "Not that I need my guns for a clown like you. That'd be a waste of a bullet I might need later."

Luffy gave the other man, his own opponent apparently, an exasperated look. "Are you gonna talk a whole lot, too? It's boring..."

"No," Clyde retorted. It was the only word he managed to get out before Luffy was suddenly in his face, the boy's right fist buried in his gut.

"Good." A left hook to the jaw, and Clyde was down for the count.

Zoro looked over to admire Luffy's technique. Billy took the opportunity provided by the distraction to pull a knife and lunge toward Zoro. The gunman caught the movement in his peripheral vision and side stepped, latching onto Billy's wrist as he overbalanced. The two men went down in a tangle of limbs, dust flying. After a short tussle, Zoro stood victorious, if very dirty and missing his hat.

The black cowboy hat had landed near Luffy's feet, so he obligingly bent over and retrieved it. He held it out to Zoro, who was cursing creatively under his breath as he tried to brush some of the dust from his clothing.

"Jango," Sam called over his shoulder, "the Boss is coming this way."

Jango chewed his lower lip as he surveyed the current situation. He had no time for damage control! Maybe, if he was lucky, the Boss would take his years of loyalty into account and make his death quick and relatively painless.

"Jango," he started at the familiar cold, sneering tone, "this is very disappointing."

"Sorry, Boss," Jango apologized as he adjusted his glasses, an unconscious nervous gesture. "I guess I should have planned for interference."

"Indeed." Klahadore looked over the "interference." He recognized them as people he had passed on the road the previous day. Then, they had been with the girl he had seen in the loft with the long nosed boy from town. Perhaps he had underestimated the threat posed by Kaya's meddlesome friend.

"I'll take over here," the Black Cat Bandit declared. "You know the task I've assigned you, Jango. The other hands have taken a short leave of absence, so you needn't worry about them. Kaya should still be in bed in the main house. The only remaining servant is... 'indisposed' at the moment. Take Sam and Butch with you; they can handle a small pest problem in the barn."

"Certainly, Boss." The three men walked through the gate and toward the barn and house.

"How come he gets to be called 'Boss' but I don't?" Luffy asked Zoro.

"We've got bigger problems here, Luffy." Zoro massaged the spot between his eyebrows. He let out a long-suffering sigh. "If I agree to call you that, will you shut up about it?"

"Yup," Luffy nodded, grinning broadly.

"In that case, Boss, I suspect there are two pests that are gonna be needing help. You okay here with this guy?"

"I think so."

"Good luck."

Zoro kept his eyes locked on Klahadore, as he carefully walked around him and headed after the others at a brisk pace. The outlaw ignored him, his own eyes trained on Luffy.

"So," Klahadore sneered, "you're the boss, are you? I must say, you don't seem like much to me."

Luffy stood lightly on the balls of his feet, ready to move in any direction circumstances might require. He brought his hands up into a defensive pose, grin stretching impossibly wider.

"No? Keep watching; you might be surprised."

**End Notes:**

If anyone cares, this part and the next used to be one massively long chapter, but it's been split because it was, well, _massively long_ compared to all the other parts. Don't hate me for the cliff-hanger, there are worse ones later... Besides, this update's a twofer.


	7. Showdown at the Bar K

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. There's a bit of a spoiler of sorts in this part, but unless you already know about what I'm spoiling, you probably wouldn't pick up on it, so... This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me.

**Part 7- Showdown at the Bar K**

Usopp and Nami watched three figures approach their barn hideout. The man in the heart-shaped glasses started to break off toward the main house, while the other two continued walking toward the barn.

"Kaya..." Usopp whispered. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he fired a shot right in front of the stranger with the spectacles. He paused only briefly before continuing toward the house.

"Usopp," Nami called softly, tugging on his sleeve, "what are we going to do about the other two?"

"Well, well, Butch, what have we got here?" a sneering voice drifted up to them. "We'd best be careful, the boy's got a _slingshot!_" The smaller man snickered at his own mocking words.

"Don't forget the girl, Sam," his much larger companion chuckled. "She's got a stick."

"Don't forget about the gunman, either," a third, familiar voice growled. "He's a mean one." The two outlaws were so busy looking up at their prey in the loft, they hadn't noticed Zoro walk up behind them.

"Zoro! It's about time you got here!" Nami called. "What took you so long?"

"I thought you said you didn't need me," Zoro retorted.

"Usopp and I can't be expected to do _everything_ by ourselves!"

"Three guns, eh?" Sam observed as the pair continued bickering. "That seems a little excessive. Here, let me help."

He darted forward, and Zoro was stunned long enough by just _where_ Sam's hands were for the outlaw to accomplish his goal. When he hopped back out of reach, Zoro's gun belt was clutched in his hands. The gunman's white weapon was kept in a special shoulder holster, so it still hung below his right arm, but he was now otherwise unarmed. He lunged forward, but Sam dodged backward again and tossed the gun belt off to one side.

"Much more fair, don't you think, Butch?"

Zoro hadn't noticed the larger man slip up behind him, until he found his arms roughly pinned behind his back.

"Much."

Sam chuckled evilly and flexed his hands before clenching them into fists. He hit Zoro with a right to the ribs, but it only earned a slight grunt.

"Aw," Sam taunted before following the first hit with a left, "did that hurt?"

"Not as much as staring at your ugly mug," Zoro spat. The comment earned him a backhand to the face, knocking his hat off again and splitting his bottom lip.

"I can't watch this," Nami commented with a frown before tossing her makeshift staff to the side and heading for the ladder.

"Where are you going?" Usopp asked, eyebrows high. "You shouldn't go out there unarmed!"

"I'm going to go get his guns. Don't let those two beat him to death, okay?" She waited for a nod of acknowledgement from Usopp before disappearing from his sight. When he hurried back to the edge of the loft opening, he could see her trying to slip out unnoticed. She darted around the corner of the building just before Sam glanced over. His frown looked as though he was uncertain he had seen anything.

"What's the matter?" Zoro drew the other man's attention back to himself. "Tired, already?"

"Just of using my fists," Sam sneered, pulling a thin blade from a sheath hidden somewhere in his clothing. "What say we bleed you a little?"

"Let's not." Zoro slammed his head back into Butch's face, shattering his nose and sending him backward. The gunman leaned into the falling man, pushing off to put force behind a kick with both feet that slammed into Sam's chest, knocking the wind out of him.

Zoro scrambled to his feet and stumbled toward where he thought his guns had been thrown. He was surprised to see Nami reaching out to pick up the gun belt, but he was even more surprised to see Butch aiming a throwing knife at her.

"Nami, look out!" Zoro hollered, before he found himself dragged to the ground by a strong pair of hands around his ankles.

Nami rolled to the side at the shout, gun belt firmly in her grasp, but still took a glancing cut to her right shoulder. Butch was already taking aim with another knife. He cried out and dropped his weapon when he was suddenly struck on the wrist by a small hard object. He looked up to see Usopp shaking his head, face stern, one hand poised over his bag of ammunition, the other training his slingshot on the large man.

In the meantime, Sam had worked Zoro into a full Nelson hold.

"That kick... wasn't very... nice of you," Sam panted, still regaining his breath. "Better... teach him... a lesson, Butch."

Butch wiped the blood from his face with a sleeve, expression twisted in a snarl. He slammed one meaty fist forward with the force of a charging bull. Zoro heaved himself forward, pulling Sam off his feet and over the gunman's shoulder. Butch was unable to pull his punch in time, hitting Sam square in the upper back.

While Butch surveyed the damage he'd inadvertently inflicted, Zoro pulled himself to his feet again.

"Zoro!" Nami called, tossing the gun belt toward the green haired man. He snatched it out of the air and buckled it firmly back in place.

When he turned back around, Sam was still down for the count, and Butch looked decidedly nervous. He kept looking from the guns, which were now in Zoro's hands, to the gunman's face and back.

"Nobody needs to die here," Zoro informed him, "but we can't have you causing us any more trouble, either. Disarm him and yourself and don't hold back, because when I check, if I find anything, it's going to be worse for you." As he spoke, the gunman replaced his battered black hat, the brim drowning his eyes ominously in shadow.

Butch complied. Zoro gave both men a quick pat down while Usopp covered him from the loft. Then he knocked Butch out with the butt of one of his guns. Zoro was tempted to shoot the outlaws in the knees, but decided that might be overdoing it just a bit.

Usopp hopped down from the loft and hurried over to Zoro with a coil of rope in one hand. They hogtied the two outlaws before heading over to Nami. Usopp noticed that the gunman was limping slightly.

"You okay, Zoro?" the long nosed boy asked, concerned.

"I'll live. Hey, Nami, you gonna make it?"

"I'll live," Nami parroted, managing a small smile. She held her left hand clamped tightly to her wounded right shoulder. "I think it's just a scratch."

The trio made their way over to the main house, eying all the windows warily. The front door stood open. Zoro stepped through first, guns drawn, but called for the others to follow when he found the front room empty.

"It's too quiet in here," Usopp fretted. "What if we're too late?"

"Jango could still be in here, someplace." Zoro gestured at the multiple doorways leading from the room. "This place is huge."

"Maybe Kaya is hiding," Nami offered, resting a hand on Usopp's shoulder, "and she's still safe."

"They've gone," a voice called softly from the kitchen. A hunched figure appeared in the doorway, then slumped to the ground. "They've both gone..."

"Merry!" Usopp rushed to the man's side and fell to his knees. "What happened? Did Jango do this to you?" The butler was holding a hand to a bloody wound in his side.

"It was Klahadore," the older man sobbed. They all listened as he related the events of the morning.

He had risen early to start on the chores, since all the hands were away, except for Klahadore. The chief hand had approached him in the kitchen, overpowering and stabbing him. The man had taken a few moments to outline his plans to take over the ranch before he had left the butler for dead. Merry had been afraid that Kaya had been attacked as well, but she had discovered him in the kitchen a short time later, apparently awakened by a disturbance outside. He had tried to explain the dangerous situation, but then they had both heard the front door open. Merry pleaded with Kaya to run, and she left through the back door of the kitchen. He heard Jango search through the main rooms before entering the kitchen. Kaya had left the door ajar in her haste, and Jango had followed her outside.

"You don't suppose she headed for the main gate, do you?" Zoro asked.

"That's the quickest route to reach town and help," Merry nodded. Zoro frowned.

"What's wrong?" Usopp asked, face paling.

"Last I saw them, Klahadore and Luffy were fighting at the main gate. Kaya'll run right into them, if she goes that way."

"She can't turn back because Jango's right behind her!" Usopp surged back to his feet. "We have to go!"

"I'll stay here," Nami told them, "and patch the both of us up as best I can. You two go ahead and save Kaya."

They didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

Klahadore narrowed his eyes at the grinning boy in front of him. The young man seemed to have bottomless reserves of energy, but if Klahadore couldn't find a way to slow him down soon, the former outlaw was going to grow tired. The fight had been going on for near onto a half an hour now. Neither opponent had been able to land more than a glancing blow, as Luffy stepped lightly out of the way of Klahadore's knife work and Klahadore was careful to keep just out of Luffy's surprisingly long reach. Billy and Clyde's revival and departure had gone completely unnoticed.

Both eyes trained on his foe and a knife secure in his right hand, Klahadore surreptitiously ran his left hand over the derringer concealed at his left hip. He disliked guns, as a general rule, but he wouldn't hesitate to use it, if he needed to bring the confrontation to a quick close.

A quiet gasp behind them momentarily drew the combatants' attention from each other.

"Why, Miss Kaya," Klahadore's cool, collected tone never wavered, "what are you doing out here?"

"Why are you doing this?" she pleaded. She gazed at the drawn knife, eyes wide. "If this is about money or the ranch, I would gladly let you have them. There was no reason to hurt Merry. Please, just let me go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Kaya. I have plans, you see."

"Sorry, Boss. She knew I was coming somehow and tried to make a break for it." Kaya started when she heard the slightly out of breath voice close behind her.

"This is the second time you've failed me today," Klahadore berated, scowling. "That's most unwise, Jango..."

"Everything's well in hand now, Boss," Jango assured, roughly grabbing Kaya's arm.

"I certainly hope so. Take her back and complete the will."

Luffy moved to follow, as Jango dragged Kaya back in the direction of the main house, but Klahadore stepped into his path.

"I think not, young man. You've caused me quite enough trouble."

"You sure?" Luffy shifted back into a fighting stance. "There's plenty more where that came from."

Luffy lunged forward to strike, but Klahadore had learned to read some of the younger fighter's moves. He dodged back and to the side of the right hook, allowing Luffy's own momentum to carry him around in a half-circle. Before he could fully recover his balance, Klahadore stepped back a pace, drew his gun, and fired a shot at Luffy's back. He was not left-handed, and in his haste, the shot went a little lower than he anticipated, but Luffy went down, just the same. Satisfied that the fight was now over, Klahadore reholstered his gun, and turned to follow Jango and the girl. He was going to make sure things ran smoothly from this point.

Needless to say, he was taken completely aback when he was hit by a low tackle from behind. Nimble hands found his gun and belt of throwing knives and tossed them aside while he was still trying to regain his breath. Then Luffy stepped back and allowed Klahadore to regain his feet.

"How?" Klahadore snarled. "Why are you still alive?"

"Guess I'm extra lucky," Luffy shrugged. Then the wide grin was replaced by a serious expression. "Let's finish this, now that we're on even ground."

Klahadore had not fought bare-handed in years. He knew he was outmatched by the boy, who clearly had some training in bare knuckle boxing. He tried fighting dirty, kicking up dust in his opponent's face and gouging at his eyes, but any playfulness that may have been present in the boys tactics before was long gone. Each blow was carefully placed for maximum effect, and the force behind them never let up a bit.

Finally, as Klahadore swayed on his feet after a particularly vicious combination attack that had shattered his glasses, Luffy dashed forward, catching the former outlaw's throat in the crook of his elbow, dragging the taller man to the ground. A fist slammed into Klahadore's jaw, knocking his head back against the ground, stunning him.

"Don't pass out just yet," Luffy's voice filtered through the muzzy haze of Klahadore's thoughts. "I don't much like killing, but I don't much care for you, either. When you wake up, I want you to get gone, because if I see you again, I _will_ make certain it's the last time I do."

Klahadore never even saw the last blow coming, as darkness overtook him.

* * *

Zoro and Usopp saw Jango and Kaya coming their way before they were noticed themselves. Zoro dragged the younger man down behind a low hillock and out of sight.

"I bet you'd like to be the big hero here, right?" Zoro asked.

"I really don't care," Usopp told him in all seriousness, "just as long as Kaya is safe, in the end."

"Well, I've got us a plan..."

* * *

Both Jango and Kaya jumped when Zoro rose suddenly from behind the hill, one gun ready in his right hand. The outlaw pulled the girl in front of himself, a knife held to her throat.

"Let me pass," Jango ordered, putting just enough pressure on the blade to make Kaya cry out. "I know you don't want me to have to hurt the little lady."

"He's bluffing," Kaya called defiantly. "He needs me alive."

Jango kept a hand at her throat, moving the knife lower, to just below the girl's ribcage.

"A gut wound will take a good long while to bleed out. Now, back away!"

Zoro didn't back away, but he didn't move any closer, either. He edged to the side, Jango turning along with him, still using Kaya as a human shield.

"You might as well put that gun away," Jango prompted, "seeing as you'll never get the chance to use it."

"I never planned to," Zoro answered, smirking.

Usopp sprang up from behind the hill and let off a shot to Jango's temple. Kaya elbowed her stunned captor in the gut and ran to hide behind Zoro. When Jango regained his balance after a quick shake of the head, it was only to meet with Usopp's fist to his face.

Jango crumpled to the ground and Kaya rushed forward, sweeping Usopp into a hug.

"Oh, Usopp, thank you! That was incredible! How did you know I was in danger? Never mind, you don't have to answer that! Are you hurt at all? No? My goodness, I'm running around in my nightdress! Oh and poor Merry, I must go check on him! Thank you again! You're my hero!"

Usopp was slightly taken aback by the sudden onslaught of words from Kaya. Usually, she only said a few soft words at a time! She planted a kiss on Usopp's cheek and hurried off toward the house.

Usopp waited until she was out of earshot before shaking his right fist loose with a hiss.

"Hurts like a sumbitch, don't it?" Zoro asked with a grin. Usopp nodded and he slapped the younger man on the back with a short, barking laugh. "Quite the rush, though, huh? You'll have to ask Luffy to show you how to throw a punch proper like, later!"

"You think he's okay?" Usopp wondered. "Should we go look for him?"

"Naw, I reckon he'll pop up any time now, cheerful as a fox in the hen house."

Sure enough, they heard a faint "Hey!" from the distance and Luffy jogged up to them. "There's nothing like a good tussle, eh, Zoro?"

"I take it you won, then?"

"Yeah, but he scratched me up a little." Luffy showed Zoro his forearms. "Oh!" Luffy reached behind his back and retrieved the borrowed knife. A flattened bullet was embedded in the sheath, and Zoro suspected the blade itself might be damaged. "Thanks for letting me borrow that. It was a big help!"

"You never even drew it, did you?" Zoro asked, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Nope! Who took out the man with the funny glasses?" Luffy wondered. Zoro cocked a thumb at Usopp. "Nice work!" Luffy also gave Usopp a slap on the back, rather harder than Zoro's.

"Thanks," Usopp acknowledged, cracking his first real smile of the day. "Let's head over to the house and check on Nami and Merry."

"Did Nami get hurt?" Luffy's smile faltered.

"Nothing serious," Zoro grunted, "she's fine."

"Who's Merry? Will there be food? I'm _starving_!"

* * *

Kaya insisted that her rescuers stay the night at the ranch. Usopp felt this was indeed a good idea, as he was worried some of the outlaws might return. When Zoro, Luffy, and Usopp had walked past the barn, there had been no sign of Sam and Butch. The ropes, which had clearly been cut, still lay on the ground. Either a blade had been missed in the search, or Billy and Clyde had rescued their cohorts.

It seemed Kaya had taken an interest in medicine after the illnesses of her parents, and she fussed a great deal over Merry's wound. She insisted on looking at Nami's shoulder, checking over Usopp for any injuries, and bandaging the shallow cuts on Luffy's arms. She found Zoro, however, to be a most belligerent patient. Nami finally had to threaten to sit on him before he allowed Kaya to place a dab of salve on his split lip and place a mostly unnecessary wrap on his ribs.

Merry, who was feeling much better the next morning (he insisted his distress the previous day had been chiefly due to the shock of it all), rode into town to inform the authorities. Usopp felt much better, knowing that the law would keep an eye on things.

"We haven't really got any horses to spare," Kaya apologized when Nami had inquired, "but I may have something almost as good."

She led the small group out to the barn and over to a large rectangular lump covered in canvas. It turned out to be a covered wagon with the hoops currently down. Kaya then led them to a corral nearby.

"The wagon is a gift to thank you all, and you may also take these two oxen. They were raised and trained together, but we've been unable to sell them since they don't match physically. We'll also outfit you with supplies."

The first ox was mostly a soft cream color, with a mop of white curls between his horns. Kaya told them he was named Merry, after the butler, as he was born on his birthday and had the same hair. The other ox was a yellowish tan with a white starburst on his face, and was named Sunny for his coloration and temperament.

"Golly, Kaya, thanks!" Luffy beamed.

Zoro eyed the rig skeptically, once it was all put together, but decided that the extra storage for supplies was worth any hassle.

Nami was genuinely looking forward to a more comfortable ride.

"It was an honor meeting all of you," Usopp insisted as he shook the hands of his new friends warmly. "You've encouraged me to do what I've only ever imagined. I think I'll set out from here and see some more of the world. Seize the moment, you know?"

"Ride with us, Usopp!" Luffy grinned down from his saddle. "There's room in the wagon!"

"I couldn't impose like that!"

"Who's imposing?" Zoro snorted. "You're probably heading our way anyhow, right? Besides, you helped earn us this rig."

Usopp grinned broadly, mentally preparing a momentous speech of acceptance, but Nami rained on that parade.

"Climb aboard, if you're coming! We're wasting daylight!"

After another warm hug from Kaya, Usopp hopped up onto the wagon seat beside Nami, and the wagon started with a lurch, heading for the ford across the river.

**End Notes:**

I really couldn't help myself with the oxen... I couldn't really think of any other way to incorporate the ships that didn't seem stupid to me.


	8. Mementos and Motivations

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. There's a bit of a spoiler of sorts in this part, but unless you already know about what I'm spoiling, you probably wouldn't pick up on it, so... This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me.

**A/N 2: **Remember up there ^ where it talks about "changed/altered/warped" stuff? From this point onward, there's a lot more of that. This one's pretty short and mostly filler...

**Part 8- Mementos and Motivations**

The group made camp a little before sunset, allowing themselves time to really look over the supplies from Kaya while they decided on dinner. Luffy was thrilled as long as there was meat involved, which was rather a given. Zoro wasn't picky. If it wouldn't kill him, he'd eat it. Nami wasn't too particular either, as long as she wasn't expected to do the cooking.

"I know a great stew recipe," Usopp offered, as he looked over the food rations. "I can get it started, and it can cook while we finish setting up camp." He felt that it was only fair that, as the new guy, he contribute. Certainly, none of the others were going to argue.

"It can't be any worse than snake and beans..." Nami mumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Are you serious?" Usopp asked, blinking. "Snake and beans?" It sounded vaguely like some kind of dirty joke...

"Unfortunately," Nami sighed, "I'm completely serious. That's the first meal I ate with these two."

"Well, I liked it!" Luffy cheered, grinning broadly. "We should do that again some time!"

Camp set-up didn't take very long at all, and soon they were all sitting around the campfire, the only sounds the occasional bubbling hiss from the pot of simmering stew. Usopp, having lived alone for years, was never much of a one for silence when he did have actual company. Moments later, he was entertaining Luffy with wild stories.

Nami had seen a little too much of what most of the world was _really_ like to truly enjoy Usopp's tall tales. She glanced over to see that Zoro wasn't paying much attention either.

He was very carefully looking over his weapons. He was currently holding the white gun, a far off look in his eyes. She was curious, despite herself.

"I've never seen you draw that one," she observed. Usopp had just finished a story, so the comment drew the attention of the other two boys, as well.

"You said once that it's only got one shot, Zoro," Luffy added. "How come?"

The gunman didn't answer right away. He opened the cylinder and let the single bullet slide out into his palm. Zoro ran his thumb over a single word scratched into the casing long ago. _Kuina_. In truth, the lone round was treated with care equal to, if not greater than, the white gun itself.

"This is a special bullet," Zoro finally responded. "I made somebody a promise. I'm going to challenge the greatest gunfighter there is, and this shot's meant for him."

"Can I see it?" Luffy asked, eyes wide and eager. Zoro closed his fist around the bullet protectively, then sighed.

"Come over closer, then. You can't _touch_ it, mind, but I'll let you look."

He was a little surprised when all three of his companions moved to hover over his hand. He opened his fingers slowly, a little embarrassed by how almost shy sharing this made him feel.

"Is that a word?" Luffy squinted in the dimming light. "What's it say? Kuh... Koo-"

"Kuina," Zoro supplied, slipping the bullet back into it's usual chamber. "It's a name."

"Is that the person you promised?" Usopp almost wished he hadn't asked when Zoro's expression darkened.

"Yes. There's a bullet just like this with my name on it. It's buried with her, so far as I know." That far off look was back again.

Usopp started to open his mouth, unsure whether he wanted to apologize, offer consolation, or something else altogether, but Nami nudged him with her elbow and shook her head, expression grim.

"My hat's kind of like that." Luffy's voice broke the awkward, solemn silence. "Except the man who gave it to me, Shanks, is still around."

Zoro looked up at the young man, who was fingering the brim of his straw hat. The gunman raised one eyebrow in silent inquiry. He wasn't going to be the only one sharing this evening, if he could help it.

"He saved my life once, when I was just a kid," Luffy obligingly continued. He sat down again, removing the hat and setting it in his lap. "Lost his left arm doing it, too. I promised him that I was going to be a famous outlaw someday. He gave me this hat, and I'm supposed to give it back to him when we meet again, after I've fulfilled that promise."

There was another short silence, before Usopp spoke.

"I wish I had some kind of noble motivation like that," he sighed. "All I've got is my silly dream."

"It's not silly," Luffy insisted, plunking his hat back down on his head purposefully. "A dream is the best sort of motivation there is!"

"Thanks, Luffy." Usopp smiled. Luffy's confidence easily rubbed off on those around him. Zoro couldn't keep a small smile from sneaking onto his own face.

Nami looked away from the group, however. She had her own sorts of motivation, but she had absolutely no intention of sharing. A change of subject was in order.

"Hey, Usopp," she called, fervently hoping the cheerfulness in her voice wasn't too obviously forced, "how's that stew coming along?"

"Yeah, Usopp," Luffy wholeheartedly seconded, "when can we eat?"

"Let me just check if the potatoes are cooked."

The mood lightened even more once everyone had a nice, warm bowl of stew. It was certainly no culinary masterpiece, but it was filling. They traded a few funny anecdotes, and Usopp convinced Luffy to join him in a little singing. Their combined tone deafness and volume didn't seem to bother the singers at all, but Zoro finally couldn't stand it any longer.

"Enough! You two are worse than the coyotes!"

"It's getting awfully late," Nami agreed, "and we'll want an early start."

She pulled a bedroll from the back of the wagon and laid it out a short distance away from the others. She could hear Luffy and Usopp whispering with an occasional order for silence from Zoro. She rolled over and tried to focus on sleep. She was starting to get attached, and that was something she simply could not afford.

Zoro took one last look at Nami's back before pulling his hat over his face. There was something off about that girl. Zoro had a gut feeling that trouble was coming, but, seeing as there was nothing he could do about it at the moment, he'd let it go. Nothing, but nothing, was going to cause him to lose sleep!

Usopp gazed up at the wide open sky, full of twinkling stars. He was too excited to sleep yet. These guys were a little crazy, but he knew he could depend on them. He could also be certain that life would be anything but boring, now.

Luffy yawned and snuggled under his blanket contentedly. The Straw Hat Gang was up to four members! He thought about the wagon full of rations, and the conversation before dinner. He came to a conclusion: canned meat was well and good, but they should try using snake more often!

Also, the next member to join should probably know how to cook.


	9. The Restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. There's a bit of a spoiler of sorts in this part, but unless you already know about what I'm spoiling, you probably wouldn't pick up on it, so... This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me.

**Part 9- The Restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere**

It was quite a long journey between Syrup and the next major town to the west. However, there was a railroad junction and switch at which had been established a rather unusual sort of restaurant. Though situated in the middle of nowhere, the Baratie, as it had been named by its owner, rarely suffered for lack of customers. The story went that, if you were hungry, you could eat. Thus, the dining area was almost always filled with a fascinating variety of folks. Wealthy travelers requested that their stagecoaches stop for a few hours. Claim-stakers and prospectors heading further west took a break from hot and dusty traveling. Railroad employees, the occasional cavalry patrol, and even outlaws rounded out the clientele.

Luffy and company were getting by alright, food-wise, but the experimentation and improvisation were getting a little old. Every single one of them was thrilled to be looking forward to a professionally prepared meal. Well, Luffy looked forward to _every_ meal, but the rest could appreciate what they had been missing.

"Remember," Nami scolded as they rode toward the restaurant, "we're going to be in public, so behave yourselves!"

Their last meal had devolved into a food fight after Usopp's "tried and true" roasting method had turned several otherwise perfectly good potatoes into lumps of charcoal. Luffy had been gamely attempting to eat his anyway, when Usopp had wondered aloud whether the former tubers might make passable ammunition. This prompted Luffy to attempt throwing his potato at Usopp, but the projectile's lumpy nature caused its flight path to be unpredictable and it hit Zoro instead. Poorly aimed retaliation and chaos ensued.

"Of course," Usopp replied, looking suitably cowed. Luffy appeared to be oblivious, and Zoro just rolled his eyes.

"Luffy, look at me." Her sharp tone managed to catch his attention. "No making a scene, okay?"

"Okay," Luffy responded with a wide grin. "I promise I won't start anything."

"No _finishing_ anything, either." That earned her a shocked look from all three boys. "I mean it," she insisted.

"I'll do my best," Usopp reluctantly offered. Luffy finally nodded, frowning. Zoro narrowed his eyes at her.

"I ain't promising anything," he grumbled, but he looked away first.

* * *

Lieutenant Fullbody smiled at the other occupant of the stagecoach. The woman looked away demurely, but the cavalry man was certain he was working his way into her good graces. Fullbody had offered to escort the lady and her transportation, since he and his detail were already headed in the same direction with a prisoner. He leaned out the window to call to one of his men on horseback nearby.

"Status report, soldier!"

"The prisoner is still unconscious, sir! We will be passing by the Baratie shortly!"

"Ooh," the lady exclaimed, "I've heard of that restaurant!"

"Have you?" Fullbody's eyes gleamed as inspiration struck. "It would be no trouble to stop for a meal... My treat?"

* * *

The cavalry escorted stage arrived at the restaurant at approximately the same time as Luffy's group. While Nami was "supervising" as Zoro and Usopp secured the wagon and horses, Luffy crossed paths with the lieutenant and his companion in front of the plate glass window by the entrance.

Fullbody took in Luffy's rather disheveled and dusty appearance with a sneer.

"I suppose you consider yourself some kind of a cowboy," he scoffed.

"Nope," Luffy answered with a straight face. "I'm an outlaw."

"Ha," Fullbody laughed in his face. "Move out of the way, _boy_!" He stiff-armed Luffy into the window as he passed by, not even flinching when the glass shattered, sending Luffy falling into the dining room on his back. The woman turned to see whether the strange boy was alright, but Fullbody grabbed her arm and continued through the door.

"Come, my dear, surely such riffraff is beneath your notice!"

Luffy found himself blinking up at the faces of several startled customers and rather perturbed employees who had been drawn out of the kitchens by the noise. So much for not making a scene! Nami was going to be _mad_...

"Um, sorry 'bout your window!"

"Don't apologize to _us_," one of the men scowled down at him. "Save it for the owner!"

Luffy was pulled rather roughly to his feet and escorted to a door in the back.

* * *

Meanwhile, Fullbody and the woman had seated themselves. The lieutenant looked around the room, noting a rather conspicuous absence of servers. After a few moments, he finally spotted a blond man pouring wine at another table. Honestly, what sort of establishment had only one waiter?

"Hey, waiter! Over here!"

The man glanced up indifferently, then made his was across the room at a maddeningly leisurely pace. Upon reaching the table, he took a moment to smooth his silk vest before finally locking eyes with the lieutenant.

"I," he spoke slowly and pointedly, "am not a waiter." Then, his attention promptly shifted to Fullbody's dining companion and his entire demeanor changed dramatically. "Good afternoon, _mademoiselle_! How may I be of service to your most captivating self?" He kissed the back of her hand. Fullbody felt he might have to kill something when she giggled and blushed prettily.

"_We_," Fullbody stressed the word, "would like to order."

"I'll have the specialty of the house," the lady requested with a smile, batting her eyelashes.

"Of course," the server bowed deeply. "Your every wish is my command, fair lady."

"I'll have that, as well," Fullbody ground out through clenched teeth. He'd do just about anything to get this audacious fool to leave!

"Certainly," the man acknowledged with a shrug. "I'll be back shortly with your soup."

* * *

Luffy steadily met the gaze of the livid man across from him. He knew he should probably be a little more contrite, but he was having trouble paying attention to the lecture he was receiving. This guy's mustache was amazing! Maybe he could grow one like that some day...

"Hey! Pay attention, boy!"

"Sorry..."

"As I was saying," the owner, a chef named Zeff, continued to rant, "that window out there was special ordered from a shop back east! It's going to take quite a bit of money and a great deal of time to get that thing replaced, and you're going to foot that bill!"

"I'm awful sorry 'bout what happened," Luffy insisted, "but I don't have a whole lot of money. Isn't there any other way I can make it up to you?"

"We're a little shorthanded lately," Zeff mused, one hand stroking the impressive mustache. "All our servers keep quitting. I'm willing to let you work off what you owe me, but it's going to take you a while."

Luffy's thoughts drifted to his three friends, who were probably wondering what had happened to him, disappearing so suddenly!

"So, how long, exactly, is a while?"

* * *

"Tarnation, woman," Zoro fumed as they finally made their way toward the restaurant entrance. "It should _not_ take that long to secure the wagon!"

"Maybe if you'd done what I asked the first time, we'd have been done sooner!"

"Why in blue blazes do we need to be 'oriented to make a quick escape' anyway? You already browbeat us all into being on our best behavior."

"I've also seen what you call your 'best' behavior!" Nami and Zoro glared at each other.

"Anyway," Usopp cleared his throat, "Luffy's been gone a while. Maybe we should have sent somebody with him?"

"It's a restaurant! What's he going to do? Eat every..." Zoro trailed off eyebrows rising. Nami and Usopp looked in the direction Zoro was staring and she let out a little gasp. The plate glass window with the restaurant's name inscribed upon it was gone, a few sad, clinging shards the only remains in the frame.

"You don't suppose," Usopp let the rest of the question remain unsaid.

"_What?_" an indignant cry in a familiar voice drifted out to them. "I can't stay here for two whole months!"

"I guess you're right, Usopp," Nami sighed. "We should have sent him with a keeper..."

**End Notes:**

Some of you may be wondering why Fullbody gets to be in the story when so many other minor characters don't. The answer is: I enjoy causing him pain. Also, I need him for Gin's intro later.

Luffy is fascinated by Zeff's mustache because _I_ am fascinated by The Mustache! In my head, western Zeff's mustache is somewhere between Yosemite Sam and Sam Elliott.


	10. The Gentleman Cook

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. There's a bit of a spoiler of sorts in this part, but unless you already know about what I'm spoiling, you probably wouldn't pick up on it, so... This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me.

**Part 10- The Gentleman Cook**

Zoro, Usopp, and Nami slipped through the doors and headed to an empty table in a back corner of the restaurant. The other diners paid them no heed. After the window incident, a quiet group of three was wholly unremarkable.

Several moments later, Luffy emerged from a door in the back in the company of three men dressed in chef's attire. A young man in a suit walked out through the swinging doors to the kitchens with a bowl of soup in each hand and was waved over by one of the chefs, a man with a remarkable mustache. The older man told him something that involved several vehement gestures and pointing at a rather sheepish looking Luffy. The younger man rolled his eyes but nodded in affirmation, then gestured with the soup bowls and headed into the midst of the tables. Luffy noticed his friends and waved, making a bee-line for them.

"Guess you guys saw the window, huh?" Luffy was nervously twiddling his thumbs and studiously avoiding eye contact with Nami.

"How could we miss it?" Nami sighed and massaged her temples. "Don't bother explaining, just tell me how much it's going to cost us..."

"Well, nothing, if I promise to work here for two months without pay."

"So _that's_ what you were yelling about," Usopp deduced with a nod. "Making you work without pay makes sense, I suppose, but two months is a little extreme, don't you think?"

"You gonna do it?" Zoro asked bluntly.

"Well," Luffy replied with a shrug, "I do feel kinda bad for breaking it. I'm hoping I can talk the owner down to less time."

"Should we just leave you here?" Zoro quirked an eyebrow.

"You can't mean that!" Usopp gaped. "That's a joke, right?"

Luffy chuckled at that, grinning broadly. "You can't leave me, I'm the boss!"

Nami groaned. "Not that again! What kind of work will you be doing, anyway?"

"Don't really know," Luffy admitted. "That guy over there in the suit's supposed to show me the ropes as soon as he's done with those customers."

The group all looked over to the man in question. He was currently buttering up the lady at the table, to the apparent annoyance of her companion. Finally he excused himself with a deep bow and made his way over to the expectant band.

The blond man's expression was indifferent until he locked eyes on Nami, then he smiled. He swept up the rather startled redhead's hand, placing a kiss on the back.

"Your radiant beauty brightens the very room. How may I, in all humble servitude, be of assistance?" His slightly English accented baritone rolled off his tongue, smooth as silk.

Zoro snorted and nudged Usopp with his elbow. "And Luffy thought _you_ talked fancy!" Usopp chuckled quietly.

Twin glares from Nami and the stranger were shot at the two. Usopp squeaked and quickly looked away. Nami cleared her throat.

"Actually, I thought you were here to talk to Luffy," she stated, cocking her head in the boy's direction.

"Ah yes," he blinked. He reluctantly turned his focus to Luffy, smile melting away into an expression of mild distaste. "We're quite short of servers at the moment, so we'll start off with that, shall we? You may be begin with your... associates. Take their order and report it to the kitchen staff, then bring them the food once it's prepared. Do you understand?" Luffy nodded. "Would you like me to stay and supervise, or-"

"Hey, waiter," a rather obnoxious voice called from the table to which the soup had just been delivered. The blond's unusually curly eyebrow twitched.

"Excuse me a moment," he offered apologetically. He glided over to the other table, expression darkening as he went. "I believe I informed you, sir, that I am not, in fact, a waiter. I do hope there isn't a problem?"

"My soup is cold."

"It's cucumber soup, sir, it's _meant_ to be cold." The lady tittered behind her hand and Fullbody felt a rush of heat to his face as his cheeks flushed. How dare this man humiliate him?

"I'm not eating cold soup," Fullbody sneered.

"It seems a terrible waste," the suited man's frown deepened, "but I can take it away." Fullbody's companion also displayed a small disapproving frown. The lieutenant's eyes narrowed. He'd show them a terrible waste... With a careless sweep of his hand, he knocked the bowl to the floor. The delicate vessel shattered on impact.

"Don't talk down to me," Fullbody snapped, pushing to his feet. "Is this the sort of service I should expect for my money?"

"If I were you," the other man's tone was dangerous, but Fullbody chose to ignore it, "I would think very carefully before proceeding any further."

Without even a hint of warning, Fullbody took a swing at his opponent's face. His foe dodged easily and the lieutenant was staggered by a sharp blow to his chin. He hadn't even seen the other man's hands move! Belatedly, he realized that was because he had been kicked. A roundhouse kick followed and he was suddenly staring up at a fuming blond man.

"Good food should never be wasted, you ungracious swine," Fullbody's irate opponent spat. He raised one foot for another kick, when a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Sanji! What have I told you about fighting with the customers?"

"He tossed a full bowl of soup on the floor, old man!"

Fullbody staggered to his feet, wiping away a trickle of blood from his chin. "My superiors are going to hear about this!" he threatened.

"Is that so?" the owner asked, twirling the end of his mustache around a finger, smiling sinisterly all the while. "You do that. Here's a little something for the road."

Fullbody found himself sprawled on the floor again as the result of a kick, only this time it had been the owner!

"Lieutenant Fullbody, sir!" a voice called frantically, as a bedraggled soldier stumbled through the door. "The prisoner woke up, sir! He managed to get his hands loose and overpowered the others! He's heading this way!"

"He's already here," a dry voice rasped from the doorway. The soldier hurried to his lieutenant's side, swallowing nervously. A gaunt figure shuffled into the room and collapsed in a chair at one of the tables.

"We've outstayed our welcome," Fullbody hissed to the soldier, tugging at his sleeve. "I say this man's no longer our problem." The two slipped out of the restaurant unnoticed. The crowd was too busy eying the new arrival. Everyone had clearly heard the word "prisoner."

"Isn't this a restaurant?" the escapee inquired gruffly. "What's a man have to do to get food around here?"

The two cooks who had initially confronted Luffy glanced at one another and nodded. They started toward the potential threat, but Sanji halted them with a raised hand.

"I'll take care of this." He stepped forward. "I don't mean to seem rude, but you're upsetting the other patrons. If you'll follow me, I'll see what I can do for you."

The stranger gave the other man a skeptical look, but then eyed the glaring cooks warily. He slowly regained his feet with a slight grimace and followed Sanji through a door at the back of the room. The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief, and the usual soft drone of small talk permeated the room once more.

"I like him," Luffy informed his companions. "Think he'd join the gang, if I asked?"

"Not likely," Nami scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"He _is_ pretty gutsy," Usopp conceded, totally ignoring Nami's disdain. "Did you see how calmly he handled that escaped prisoner?"

"The guy looked half dead already," Zoro countered.

"I guess, but- Luffy? Where are you going?"

"After them," was the simple reply.

**End Notes:**

Sanji is English because it plays into his backstory. More on that later. (Also, an English accent makes his lines that much more amusing to me, in my head.)

Yes, western Sanji still kicks. He also shoots, but if they're close enough to kick, that's what they get.


	11. Things Set in Motion

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing and her ingenious "Sanji's full name insertion point" suggestion. _Ingenious!_

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me! As I am sure you are aware, many One Piece characters do not have last names. All surnames assigned by me were given for a reason! See the end notes for further details.

**Part 11- Things Set in Motion**

Sanji led the prisoner to a small porch off the back of the restaurant and gestured for him to sit.

"Wait here a moment," he stated, before disappearing back into the kitchen. He was gone only a few moments before he returned with a steaming bowl of stew. The prisoner's mouth watered at the delicious scent wafting toward him and his stomach growled loudly, but he narrowed his eyes and turned his face away, arms crossed.

"I don't have any way to pay for it, and I won't take charity or pity."

"Suit yourself." Sanji set the bowl down next to him, anyway. "This bowl was going to have to be set aside at any rate, since they're preparing to start a new potful." The stranger's stomach rumbled again. An echoing gurgle could be heard from around the corner, but Sanji chose to ignore the familiar face that was spying on them. Finally, the prisoner's hand reached hesitantly for the bowl. The first few bites were rather reserved, but soon the man was shoveling the hot meal into his mouth as fast as he could.

"Thank you," he mumbled quietly, after the bowl had literally been licked clean.

"Bloody fantastic, eh?" Sanji smiled to himself, pulling a cigarette from an inside pocket and lighting it with a match. "I developed that recipe myself."

There were a few moments of surprisingly comfortable silence.

"So," Sanji asked casually, "how did you wind up a prisoner of the cavalry?"

"It's not important," the man replied shortly. Then he seemed to regret his outburst, and his expression softened again. "I'm just glad they didn't catch the rest of my gang. We'd never have been able to put up a fight after what we went through out there... That desert was Hell itself! And that gunman..." He trailed off, shuddering.

"Tell me more about the desert," an eager voice chirped. Luffy had given up on hiding around the corner. "I'm heading that way with my gang."

The prisoner laughed humorlessly. "Don't be a fool, boy. A kid like you couldn't possibly last out there. The desert seems to go on forever. We thought we were prepared, but we couldn't even last a week! Trust me when I tell you, you're better off staying away."

"Oh, I believe that it's rough out there," Luffy replied, still grinning madly, "but that's why I wanna go!"

"You're crazy," the man scoffed, but he couldn't help the small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. He heaved himself to his feet with a grunt. "Thanks again for the food..." the prisoner trailed off questioningly.

"Sanji," the chef supplied. "Sanji Gerard."

"I won't forget your kindness to me. I have to be heading back to my boss. Our group was in sorry shape when I left."

"I've got an old pack-mule you can take, so you don't have to walk," Sanji offered. "He's more or less useless to me. Some trader left him as a tip."

The stranger argued that he couldn't possibly take anything more from him, but Sanji insisted.

"I hope that someday I may be able to return the favor," he called back to them as he rode away. "My name might help you in certain places. Tell them you're a friend of Gin."

As they watched him disappear in the distance, Luffy clapped a hand on the chef's shoulder.

"Boy, you sure are a nice guy!"

"He was starving," Sanji mumbled, mind elsewhere. "I know what that's like, and I could never leave another soul in that state. Ever."

"How would you like to come be the cook for my gang?" Luffy asked brightly. "We need a good cook, and I like you."

"What?" Sanji asked incredulously, thoughts snapping back to the present. "My job is here, at the Baratie! Now, get your worthless hide back inside and start repaying your debt!"

* * *

Several days passed, but nothing involving Luffy could be said to happen uneventfully. Fortunately for the would be outlaw, most patrons were more amused than angry when their meals arrived incorrect, late, or with a few choice bits missing. He was equally disastrous in the kitchen: breaking dishes, knocking things over, and constantly trying to sneak samples of the cooking.

Meanwhile, the other members of Luffy's "gang" were beginning to go a little stir-crazy. They had taken up more or less permanent residence at the table in the back corner. Usopp and Zoro had quickly exhausted every card game that either knew, and had begun inventing their own. Nami had been happily milking Sanji's woman-worshipping nature for all it was worth, of course, but even she was becoming bored. She glanced over to the boys.

"What are you two playing now?" Whatever it was, it looked complicated, somehow involving more than one deck of cards as well as pencil and paper and a battered set of dice.

"It's called, 'A Game Nami Won't Want to Play Because It Doesn't Involve Gambling, So She Can't Take Our Money,'" Zoro grumbled around the pencil he held clenched in his teeth. Nami rolled her eyes.

"I never said I wanted to play!" Honestly! Win three straight games of poker with these people and you were banned for life! "I was just curious..."

"It's actually called, 'Far-pok-chuck-a-luck-monte,'" Usopp explained. "It's a combination of several other games. Want me to explain the rules?"

"Um, no, that's okay," Nami declined, slightly overwhelmed by the odd name and the almost indecipherable scribbling on Zoro's piece of paper. "I think I'll just watch. Who's winning?"

"I have no idea," Usopp admitted sheepishly.

"Don't look at me, either." Zoro shrugged.

A man burst through the front door, a horrified look on his face.

"D-Don Krieg," he gasped between panting breaths, "he's headed this way!"

There was a brief, stunned silence before panic broke out. Most of the guests were torn between wanting to flee and fear of going outside. Somehow, through all of the clamor, the sound of boots on the porch outside could still be heard, and the room fell back into a breathless hush. The broken window had been boarded over, but shadows of passing figures briefly blocked out the light shining between the planks.

A familiar man entered the room, another person leaning heavily against him, one arm slung across his shoulders.

"Gin," Sanji remarked casually, emerging from the kitchen. "Back so soon?"

"This is my boss, Don Krieg. Please, help him," Gin pleaded. "I have money this time!"

"Don't do it," one of the other cooks snarled, though his knees were quaking. "He'll kill us all!"

Every person in the room had heard stories of the ruthless Krieg. People began inching their way toward the back door.

"Please," Krieg rasped, falling to his knees, "at least let me have some water."

Sanji turned toward the kitchen and the protesting cook placed a hand on his shoulder. Sanji shrugged off the hand with an angry glare and disappeared through the doorway. When he reemerged, he had a glass of water and a large bowl of soup.

"I'm fetching the owner," the other cook announced, before scrambling from the room.

Zoro dropped one hand down to his hip before clenching his fist, remembering the no weapons policy of the restaurant. His guns were outside with the rest of their gear.

"Be ready," he addressed Nami and Usopp without ever taking his eyes from the scene in front of him. "I've got a feeling things are going to get ugly."

"Hey, everybody." Luffy ambled over to his friends, having just been released from post lunch rush dish duty. "What's going on?" Nami pointed to Krieg.

"See for yourself."

Krieg finished the last of his soup and pulled himself to his feet. In a surprisingly swift movement for a man who appeared so weak moments before, the outlaw lunged forward and grabbed Sanji by the throat, lifting him off the ground.

"Thank you," Krieg sneered mockingly, before tossing the chef into a nearby table. "This is a pretty nice place you have here," he noted, glancing around appraisingly. "Looks like you cooks are doing pretty well for yourselves."

"It's been hard work," Zeff remarked as he entered. "I don't appreciate anyone trying to ruin it."

"Too bad, old man," Krieg scoffed. "I have a few more men nearby who aren't doing so well. I'm coming back here just before sunset. Everybody who knows what's good for them will be gone, and you'll leave me everything in this hole that's worth anything, as well as a supply of rations."

"We're not leaving," Sanji stated firmly. He stood from the wreckage of the table and brushed off his suit.

"Then you'll die," Krieg shrugged.

"Boss," Gin looked stunned, "why are you doing this? They helped us, even knowing who you were! Can't we just move on and leave them be?"

"I made up my mind, Gin," Krieg glared at his subordinate, "and it's not your place to question me!" He headed for the door, looking back over his shoulder. "Just in case any of you doubt how serious I am, I've got a little farewell for you..."

Sanji walked over to the window and squinted between two boards. He watched Krieg approach a large horse laden with heavy saddle bags. The outlaw removed a large item from the animal and Sanji paled.

"Everyone get down, now!"

People dove to the ground and hid behind whatever they could find. Zoro didn't need to be told twice, either. He knocked their table onto its side, and, grabbing Nami's wrist and Usopp's belt buckle, he hauled them to the floor. Luffy was still staring at the window with a puzzled frown. The gunman snagged his ankle and dragged him behind the makeshift cover just as bullets began flying. They tore through the boards on the window, peppering the walls and shattering everything left on any still standing tables.

"A gatling gun?" Usopp asked incredulously. "Where did he get one of those?"

As soon as the firing stopped, people scrambled for all the exits. When the dust settled, the only ones left in the room were the cooks and most of Luffy's group.

"Is everybody alright?" Usopp wondered as he checked himself over.

"Where did Nami go?" Luffy looked all around.

"She must have headed out the back with everyone else," Zoro deduced. Then his eyes went wide as he saw a familiar wagon rush past the once again gaping hole of the window. "Oriented to make a quick escape," he mumbled before rushing outside, Luffy and Usopp close behind.

Krieg and Gin were long gone, and so were Nami and their wagon. She had left behind only the horses and a few personal items, including clothing, Zoro and Luffy's guns, and Usopp's slingshot.

"Dammit!" Zoro kicked a pile of clothing. "That no good thief!"

"You and Usopp should take the horses and go bring her back," Luffy decided. "I'm staying here, but I'll catch up to you."

"Bring her back?" Zoro's eye twitched. "Why would we want her back?"

"She's our friend," Luffy stated simply. He and Zoro locked eyes for a few tense moments.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Zoro looked away first. "For the record, I think this is a bad idea."

"Probably," Luffy grinned.

"Hey look, someone's coming!" Usopp pointed into the distance, where a lone figure on a horse could be seen approaching at a leisurely pace. "You don't think Krieg's coming back already?"

Zoro squinted at the rider. He looked briefly surprised, before his face set in a look of determination. Usopp recognized it as the expression Zoro had shown during the fighting at the Bar K. Zoro stooped to arm himself.

"That's not Krieg," he announced, standing to make final adjustments to his gun belt. "That's Hawkeye Mihawk."

**End Notes:**

Sanji's name origin is as follows: There was a train robber named Eugene Bunch who used the alias "Captain J. F. Gerard" while on jobs. He was always polite and never took handbags from the ladies. Tell me that doesn't sound like Sanji as an outlaw! Capt. Gerard = Mr. Prince! Sanji Bunch sounds horrible, but Sanji Gerard is quite nice, I think.

Far-pok-chuck-a-luck-monte: Please do not ask me how to play, just know it's a mash-up of games played in the old west. Those being faro, poker, chuck-a-luck, and three-card-monte. I'm guessing the paper and pencil were for keeping score, not that it helped! XD

Krieg having access to a gatling gun is almost plausible, as they _were_ around during this period. I doubt anyone had a _personal _gatling gun, but, if anybody _did_, Krieg would certainly have one!


	12. Hawkeye Mihawk

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 12- Hawkeye Mihawk**

"H-hawkeye Mihawk?!" Usopp gaped. "_The_ Hawkeye Mihawk? As in..."

"The greatest gunman that ever lived?" Zoro cracked his neck to the right and then the left, flexing both hands. "Yeah."

"You're not really going to challenge him, are you?" Usopp asked aghast, both arms flailing. "That's insane! There's no way you could win!"

"Well, thanks loads for the vote of confidence," Zoro snorted, "but there's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

Luffy looked at the butt of Zoro's white gun, and then over to the slowly approaching figure. "Got an important promise to keep, huh? Good luck." He managed to keep his face solemn for a moment as he and Zoro locked gazes again, then his irrepressible smile crept across his features once more.

"Thanks." Zoro grinned back.

As the black horse drew nearer, the observers could see that it had a white marking on its forehead that resembled a cross. The rider wore black and purple with gold accents. It was rather garish, but only a great fool indeed would mock the notorious gunslinger.

"Tell me," Mihawk drawled softly, after coming to a stop about ten feet from the trio, "has Don Krieg passed this way? Our last meeting was left rather... unresolved."

"You just missed him," Zoro informed him, "but if you're looking for a fight, I'll oblige. I've been searching for you, Hawkeye Mihawk."

The older man gave him a quick once over before lifting one eyebrow. The rest of his face remained an impassive mask.

"Surely," Mihawk replied, the slightest hint of disdain tinging his voice, "you realize the difference in skill between us?"

"I like a challenge," Zoro countered. Mihawk's eyes narrowed, and he appeared to be mentally weighing Zoro once more.

"Very well," he agreed with a slight nod. His dismounted and led his horse over to an available hitching post. Several cooks, including Sanji and Zeff, made their way out onto the porch.

"Hawkeye Mihawk," one cook whispered in awe. "What's he doing here?"

"If he came to eat," another cook gnawed his lower lip fretfully, glancing at the wreck the dining area had become, "he might be a little disappointed..."

"He was probably hunting Krieg for sport," Zeff growled. "Damn shame he missed him. I'd have loved to see that."

"What are you doing out here, chore boy?" Sanji asked as he sauntered over. "That mess in there won't clean itself, you know."

"Zoro's challenging Mihawk," Luffy shrugged, "and I'm gonna watch."

"He's _what_?" Sanji's eyes went wide. "That's crazy!"

"That's what I said," Usopp nodded superiorly.

In the meantime, Mihawk had made his way back over to Zoro, who had moved out into the open space between the restaurant and the railroad tracks. He stopped a few feet in front of Zoro.

"So," Zoro addressed the other gunman, "how do you want to do this? Traditional duel? Quick draw?"

The corner of Mihawk's mouth twitched ever so slightly and both his hands slid down to his large, gold belt buckle. The belt buckle had what at first appeared to be the image of a gun, but then Mihawk touched a carefully disguised clasp and the gun slid forward slightly, revealing it to be a derringer. Zoro frowned, jaw clenched tightly.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Zoro snarled through his teeth.

"No," Mihawk assured him. "Even a derringer can kill at this close range. Why use a more powerful weapon than is required for the situation? Draw, whenever you're ready..."

There was a long tense moment where both men simply locked gazes, hands hovering over weapons, as the afternoon sun beat down on them. The small audience watched intently, breath held in anticipation. Then, suddenly, there was a flash of movement, but the anticipated shot never came.

"You never flinched," Mihawk mused appreciatively. He held the barrel of the derringer to Zoro's chest, over his heart.

"You never shot," Zoro replied, hand still clenched tightly on his own half-drawn weapon. "You plan on finishing me off, or was that some kind of test?"

"What's your name, young man?" Mihawk asked, returning the derringer to its place on the buckle.

"Zoro Roronoa."

"You're a very spirited man, Zoro Roronoa." The older man let the name roll off his tongue, almost as though he were tasting it. "That's a rare thing anymore. I'll grant you the duel you desire, but I cannot promise that the outcome will be what you've planned."

"If I die, then I die." Zoro shrugged, never breaking eye contact.

"Well said. Ten paces, turn and fire."

"Do I merit the big gun this time?" Zoro cocked his head toward the holster at Mihawk's right hip. It held the gunman's trademark black, long barreled revolver. Many a gunslinger had gone to his grave thinking that the extra length must mean a slower draw.

"Show me your best, Roronoa, and I shall do you the same service." In response, Zoro switched his white gun from the chest holster to that at his own right hip.

Both men turned so they were standing back to back. At some unspoken signal, they both began moving slowly away from each other. There wasn't even a breeze to break the stillness, so each could clearly hear the footsteps of the other as they counted off the paces silently.

A shot rang out and, for an instant that seemed to last an eternity, it was unclear which gunman had fired. Then Zoro slumped to his knees, white gun still gripped in his hand. The watchers all stared speechlessly as Mihawk walked to stand in front of Zoro.

Zoro could feel the blood running down his arm from the shot that had gone cleanly through the muscle of his right shoulder. However, the wound to his arm was nothing compared to his emotional agony. He had _lost_. He stared blankly at the white gun until a single crimson drop ran across the ivory inlay, snapping him back to the present. He raised his eyes to the man hovering over him.

"Finish it."

Mihawk moved slightly to the side and pointed the gun at a downward angle, firing one last shot.

"Zoro!" Luffy shouted, as he watched the green-haired gunman fall to the side. He rushed forward, Usopp close behind. Luffy lunged at Mihawk, but the man merely side-stepped the angry rush.

"He's not dead, you know," Mihawk stated simply.

"He's right," Usopp agreed. The long-nosed young man had pulled open Zoro's blood stained shirt to survey the damage. "We'll need to stop the bleeding, though!" The second bullet had entered near Zoro's left collar bone at a shallow angle. Usopp couldn't see an exit wound, and he worried about where the bullet might have finally lodged.

Mihawk looked over his shoulder as he walked away. "We shall surely meet again, Zoro Roronoa. You have a great deal of potential. If you stay alive long enough to live up to it, our next confrontation might be on more equal footing." He left as quietly as he had arrived.

"Sorry, Boss," Zoro rasped as Luffy's concerned face joined Usopp's above him. "Guess I'm not quite the skilled gunman you expected. I will be, though... I promise." Zoro held out a hand and Luffy clasped it in a firm grip.

"Sounds good," Luffy grinned.

"Come on, Usopp." Zoro heaved himself to his feet, rather unsteadily. "If we hurry, we might be able to keep Nami and the wagon in sight, since the oxen are pretty slow."

"Are you sure you're okay to ride?" Usopp was incredulous. "You were just shot! Twice!"

"I've been shot before," Zoro grunted. He started to shrug off Usopp, who had stepped forward to assist him, then decided a shoulder to lean on wasn't such a bad idea. "I've got some medical supplies in my saddle bags. I'll patch myself up as we go."

"Fine," Usopp gave in with a long-suffering sigh, "but don't blame me if you pass out and fall off your horse!"

When they reached the horses, Zoro stooped to retrieve Luffy's gun from the small heap of belongings.

"Here." The gunman shoved the weapon into Luffy's hands. "You're probably going to need it, if you're sticking around here." Luffy looked like he wanted to argue, but he tightened his grip with a decisive nod.

Most of the remaining items were packed away in the horses' saddle bags, and Zoro, with a little assistance from Usopp and some unintentional hampering from Luffy, bandaged his wounds. The other two bade Luffy a quick farewell before heading off in the direction Nami and the wagon had taken. Luffy waved after them.

"See you guys around! Don't have too much fun without me! I'll catch up to you as soon as I can!" He watched until his companions disappeared in the distance.

"Your gunman friend really is crazy," Sanji observed. "If he wasn't sure he could win, he should have just let it go."

"He is kinda crazy," Luffy chuckled, "but he's my kind of crazy, and that's the best kind!"

Luffy hurried back over to the porch, where Zeff stood, watching the sun sink ever closer to the horizon.

"Hey, old man," Luffy called out to the restaurant owner. "That Krieg guy's coming back tonight, right? If I help you beat him, can I go?"

Zeff looked from the grinning boy to the disaster area that had been his dining room. Luffy was no longer the person who owed Zeff the most for damage rendered.

"We'll see."

**End Notes:**

A certain episode of CSI introduced me to the concept of the belt buckle derringer, which much later clicked in my mind as the western equivalent of canon Mihawk's knife in the cross necklace. If you're having any trouble picturing it, I recommend a Google image search. While you're at it, look at some pictures of long barreled revolvers/pistols. Supposedly, the longer barrel increases accuracy, or so I've read.

As long as I'm babbling inanely, let's discuss a dear friend of mine: suspension of disbelief. There will be some serious liberties taken with injuries related to guns for no logical reason. However, bullets have been known to do some very, very odd things, so roll your eyes if you want, but I'm not changing anything!


	13. Back and Forth

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 13- Back and Forth**

"So," Luffy asked, turning his attention to Sanji, who had walked up behind him, "you fellas got any weapons?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Sanji snorted. "This is the frontier. We get all sorts at the the Baratie. _Of course_ we have weapons!"

Luffy followed the blond chef back inside and through a door that led to the sleeping quarters for the cooks. Several of the restaurant employees could be seen arming themselves. One man was strapping on a holster with a revolver he had removed from an iron box under his bed. Another was loading a shot gun from a trunk at the foot of his own bunk.

Sanji slid a long dark case out from under his bed. It contained a rifle that had clearly been cared for meticulously. Luffy gave his own well-worn, hand-me-down gun a sheepish look.

"Come on, now," Sanji spun the younger man around and gave him a push toward the door, "we've got to help the old man with the preparations."

When they reenetered the dining room, Zeff was standing in the middle of the wreckage, a hand on his chin and a thoughtful expression on his face.

"That blasted window's going to be a problem," Sanji mused. "It's a gaping weak point in our defenses."

"I know that," Zeff growled. "I didn't design this place to be a fort, after all. This room is for eating, not fighting."

"Perhaps we could board it over again," one cook suggested as he helped several others pile the debris that had once been tables and chairs.

"No," Zeff answered shortly. "It works both ways. They can see and shoot in, but we can also see and shoot out. Bring some of those tables over here and make a barricade a short ways back from the window." When no one moved immediately, the head chef raised his voice further. "Move it men, time waits for no man!"

"Listen to that," Sanji snorted. "You'd think he was back in the army..."

"Was Zeff in the war?" Luffy asked, curiosity piqued. "Is that how he lost his leg?" Zeff's artificial leg wasn't terribly obvious, as he kept it well covered by loose fitting slacks and the slightly shorter foot was covered by a shoe. He walked rather stiffly on the right side, but that could be attributed to many things. Luffy had been around many soldiers who had lost limbs, so it was relatively easy for him to spot.

"Yes, he was in the war, for a while. No," there was a warning to let it be in Sanji's tone, "that's _not_ how he lost his leg."

"Oh." Luffy might not catch on quickly all the time, but this time he got it. Emotions had always been easier for him to read than solely verbal cues.

Preparations continued at a rather frantic pace. The angle of the light slowly changed, a silent but constant reminder of the approaching sunset deadline.

When the sound of a whinnying horse broke the relative stillness, every man was armed and behind cover in record time. Luffy, Sanji, and Zeff included, the group in the restaurant numbered only seven. A derisive laugh drifted in from outside.

"So, old man," Krieg sneered, "you're still here! How many fools did you manage to keep around to help you?"

"Enough," Zeff answered calmly as he pulled back the hammer on his pistol. "How many of your men are going to be worth anything in a fight, if you were so desperate for supplies earlier?"

"I don't think so." Krieg's voice carried clearly through the empty window frame and over the makeshift barriers. From the way the sound changed, it was clear that the outlaw was walking back and forth in front of the restaurant. Probably scouting out their defenses. "You won't get me to give away information that easily. I've got quite a few surprises in store for you, though. Just you wait..."

"Don Krieg," Sanji's eyes narrowed as he recognized Gin's voice, "we don't have to fight them. Ask for the supplies, then we can leave."

"Gin," all humor was now gone from Krieg's voice, "I'm not having this discussion again. Question me just once more, and I'll put you down myself."

"Yes, sir."

"He does have a point, though," Krieg addressed the small group in the restaurant once more. "Where are the supplies I asked for earlier?"

Zeff had gathered together some bread and fruit in an old flour sack during the preparations. He heaved the bag over the barrier. It sailed through the window, bounced once on the porch, then skidded to halt in the dust.

"Can't say whether or not that's enough," Zeff didn't even attempt to mask the scorn in his response, "seeing as you won't tell me how many you need to feed."

"Thank you," Krieg replied, tone anything but sincere. "It's really unfortunate you refused to comply with my other demands."

His voice was now coming directly through the window. One of the cooks couldn't stand the tension any longer. He popped up over his cover and fired a shot at Krieg. There was a vaguely metallic sound, and Krieg stumbled backward slightly. The group in the restaurant all peered out at the outlaw in curiosity. Had he been hit?

"That wasn't very nice," Krieg observed with a frown. "Even with this metal plate I'm wearing, that's probably going to leave a bruise. Now it's my turn."

They all heard something bounce once on the floor and then roll toward their barricades. The object was a seemingly harmless ball-shaped piece of metal. Zeff, however, recognized the weapon for what it was.

"Stay down," he ordered his men. "It's a grenade!"

Almost as soon as the words had left his lips, there was an explosion that sent metal fragments flying in all directions. A few of the pieces managed to find their way through the hastily constructed defenses, leaving behind ugly, jagged cuts on uncovered flesh.

"It's your move again, old man." Krieg's voice was once more dripping with scornful glee. "Make it easier on yourself and surrender."

"No thank you," Zeff grumbled, watching one of his employees tear a tablecloth into bandage strips. "I'm afraid that won't ever be an option. I'd be willing to face off with you, though. Man to man."

"I don't mind a good brawl," Krieg chuckled, "but I prefer to fight from a distance. There are so many interesting options for weapons. Besides, what fun is there in beating a crippled old man?"

The cooks gasped. Sanji looked from the now seething Zeff to the window and back. This back and forth sort of fight wasn't going to get them anywhere fast. He carefully propped his rifle against the small wall of rubble and stood. He ignored the frantic gestures and protests of the others.

"I'll fight in his place. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, send in Gin."

"You don't have to do this, Sanji," Zeff said flatly. His tone neither pled with the younger man to change his mind nor encouraged his challenge.

"Oh, but I do," Sanji sighed, mostly to himself.

Krieg simply laughed.

"You're either very confident or very stupid," the outlaw scoffed. "I guess there's only one way to determine that. Gin!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Oblige this boy, won't you?"

Sanji stepped around his barricade and moved closer to the open window frame. He scanned the area in front of the restaurant, spotting Krieg, Gin, and at least three other readily visible men. Gin made his way toward the restaurant. Sanji made no move to leave the shelter of the building, so Gin stepped through the window. Sanji knew a close quarters fight was his best chance, and he was a slightly more difficult target for the other outlaws if he stayed inside.

"I'm sorry it had to end this way, Sanji." Gin looked genuinely saddened by the situation.

"Not as sorry as you're going to be," Sanji shrugged, performing a few quick leg stretches.

"At least this way I can make sure your death is quick," Gin told him sincerely. "You don't know Don Krieg like I do. He's toying with you all, like a cat with mice. It's only going to get worse from here."

"We can handle anything he throws at us," Sanji countered. "Now, are you going to fight me or just stand there all day?"

Gin took a swing at him without warning, and Sanji barely managed to dodge the blow. Perhaps this wasn't going to go as smoothly as he'd hoped...

Luffy watched everything, expression grim. It sounded like it was going to be difficult to get close enough to take down Krieg. His eyes flitted to Zeff. One way or another, he was going to help the old man defeat this enemy. After all, he needed to catch up with the others in his gang.

**End Notes:**

Remember my basic research? I like to share. If you're not easily bored, some of the following might be interesting:

Prosthetics were in regular use during this time period, so I figured I'd give Zeff an artificial leg instead of his peg. Incidentally, this also makes for an interesting image search! Yes, the loss of the leg will be discussed in the next part.

It was not unheard of to have some kind of at least semi-bullet-proof clothing. The idea is a _lot_ older than I originally thought! In this case, Krieg is simply wearing a metal chest plate under his shirt. Heavy and a bit cumbersome, but probably pretty decent protection. The cook should have gone for a head shot...

Grenades during this period were chiefly explosives designed to fragment and propel said fragments into a large number of targets. Not highly explosive like modern ones, but still nasty.


	14. Debts of Honor

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**A/N 2:** Double update! Happy New Year a tad belatedly!

**Part 14- Debts of Honor**

Gin and Sanji circled each other warily in the small space. They each took a few exploratory shots, blocking one another with relative ease. Sanji, however, wanted to make it clear that he was serious.

He dropped down and swept a leg at his opponent's feet. Gin hopped over the attack only to be met with a kick to the chin seconds later. He stumbled back, wiping away a trickle of blood with the back of his hand.

"Gin!" Krieg snapped from outside. "Quit playing around in there! I'm losing patience! Hurry it up, or I'll shoot that little rat myself!"

Gin tensed slightly at the threat, before reaching down to the special holsters he had strapped to each thigh. He removed two side-handled clubs, holding one in a defensive position along his forearm and twirling the other at a deceptively lazy pace. He easily blocked Sanji's next kick with one arm and swung the club in his other hand into a spot on Sanji's ribcage that had been left exposed during the chef's attack.

Sanji couldn't help a slight wince. He didn't think any of the ribs were broken, but he was definitely going to bruise. The chef reassessed his foe. The weapons significantly increased Gin's reach, as well as his defense. Sanji's previous fighting strategy was no longer going to work, as it left him too open to retaliatory strikes.

"It's rather ironic, really," Sanji panted. "I'm used to seeing weapons like that in the hands of policemen."

"It would be best for you to just surrender." Gin's voice was pitched to carry only as far as Sanji's ears, and he scarcely moved his lips. "Krieg might be willing to spare your lives if you all just give in and leave."

"This restaurant means more to us than that," Sanji countered in a equally low tone. "Everyone here would rather die than simply let that bastard have what he wants without a fight. I owe that old man my very life, and I'll not set one foot outside these walls until he does first."

"And I owe you _my_ life." Gin sighed wearily. "I would have starved, if you hadn't shown me compassion. I don't want to have to kill you, Sanji... If you continue to resist Don Krieg, you will all die, and, if that must be the case, a quick death at my hands is the only mercy I can offer."

"Big talk," Sanji sneered. "You've barely even managed to bruise me, and you're talking about killing!"

"I'm sorry." Gin looked pained. "Please remember that I offered you an out." With no further warning, Gin surged forward, clubs whirling through the air fast enough to create a faint whistling sound. Sanji blocked the first swing, but the second landed square in his gut, knocking him backward and sending the air out of his lungs in a painful gasp.

As he struggled to pull much needed oxygen back into his body, Sanji momentarily saw stars. When his vision returned to normal, Gin was looming over him, clubs at the ready. The outlaw's resolve wavered, and Sanji took the opportunity to lash out with a hard kick to one of Gin's knees. He was forced to fall back with a pained hiss.

"I won't have you look at me with that sort of pity!" Sanji heaved himself to his feet again. "If you truly mean to kill me, then do it!"

"I agree," Krieg yelled from outside. "I'm beginning to doubt you've got the nerve anymore, Gin!"

The expression full of barely suppressed hurt was on Gin's face once more. He shook his head angrily and rushed at Sanji. He dodged the chef's kicks and darted in close enough that Sanji couldn't get in a good kick. Gin snatched a handful of Sanji's shirt and slammed him into the wall adjacent to the missing window. He pressed the edge of one club to Sanji's throat hard enough to make breathing a rather difficult prospect and raised the other club to strike. He bit his lip and pulled his arm back, but then let the club fall from his hand.

"I can't do it, Don Krieg!" Gin sobbed hoarsely. "He saved my life!"

"I thought you'd learned by now," Krieg spat with a scowl, "that such foolish notions are a weakness." The outlaw walked to his horse and rummaged in the saddle bags, emerging with what appeared to be another grenade. "I guess I'll just have to take your life along with the rest of these fools. A dog that won't obey its master should be put down, don't you agree?"

Gin gaped at the object in Krieg's hand, face pale. "No... Not the gas!"

Kreig merely smiled in his disdainful way and tossed the weapon through the busted window. With a loud pop, the round casing exploded, splattering liquid in its general vicinity. An overpowering smell drenched the room.

"Chlorine!" Zeff gasped between coughs. "Everyone out the back!" They were all too eager to comply.

Sanji and Gin were closest to the source, and Sanji tried to hold his breath, tears streaming from his eyes. Gin grabbed ahold of him and tossed him toward the door leading into the kitchens. Friendly hands dragged him the rest of the way out behind the building.

"Gin," Sanji managed to pant, taking in large gulps of fresh air, "he's still in there!" He tried to crawl back toward the door, but Zeff hauled him back by his ankle.

"Going back in there won't do anything but get you killed, boy." The older man frowned at the doorway and licked a finger to test the wind direction. "That broken window should allow the air to clear, but we should move further back from the door."

A choked gurgle issued from said doorway, and Gin dragged himself painfully out into the fading light. The gas had caused his lungs to partially fill with fluid and he panted shallowly, in desperate need of air. Sanji dragged him over to a large rock, propping him up in hopes of easing the other man's breathing. Everyone else was still coughing themselves.

Luffy scowled back in the direction of the building. He couldn't see Krieg or any of his men anymore. He felt anger pooling in his gut. Krieg was a coward! Real men should fight hand to hand and face to face like Gin and Sanji had done, not hide at a distance and use weapons like that gas.

"I'm gonna fight Krieg," Luffy declared, hand dropping to the gun at his hip. "He's their boss; if we take him out, the rest should be easy."

"No..." Gin moaned softly. "Don Krieg..." Luffy frowned down at the man.

"I don't get it," he sighed. "How can he be so loyal to somebody that just tried to kill him? Krieg obviously doesn't care, not like a boss should."

"Sometimes," Sanji muttered, head angled down so most of his expression was shadowed by his hair, "we can't help the loyalties we feel. Maybe there's a story we haven't heard. Maybe Gin owes him some kind of debt."

"Don't start with that, brat," Zeff growled, scowling. "It was a long time ago and I'd do it again in a heartbeat." The restaurant owner pushed to his feet and limped over to check on the well-being of the rest of their group.

Luffy blinked at Zeff's back, then looked over to Sanji, his question unspoken, but clear just the same.

"I understand the burden of a debt of honor," Sanji explained, jaw set firmly. "When I was younger, I apprenticed myself to a ship's cook on a merchant vessel. We were on a voyage from London to Savannah, when our ship was attacked by pirates."

"Pirates?" Luffy interrupted eagerly. "Really? Real pirates?"

"Shut up and listen," Sanji chided. "Everything probably would have been fine. The pirates would have just taken what they wanted and gone, but I decided to try and fight back. The ship was transporting arms and powder. We were all in the hold. I tried the rush their leader, but he kicked me out of the way. One of his men got nervous, though, and fired his weapon, and the whole place exploded. The last thing I remember is a body standing in front of me.

"When I woke up, I was in a lifeboat with the pirate captain."

"Zeff?" Luffy asked. Sanji answered with a nod and mild glare.

"I'm not sure why he saved me. Maybe he was impressed with how I tried to stand up to them, I don't know. A piece of debris hit him in the leg. We had no way to treat it and no food. The ship hadn't been far off the coast, but we drifted for days. All we had was some of the money the pirates had taken and a small flask of water, and Zeff let me have the water.

"When we finally reached land, the leg had become infected and the doctors removed it from the knee down. The old man told me how all he really wanted anymore was to be able to cook, and that he planned to open a restaurant and feed anyone who was hungry. I had nowhere to go and no money of my own, so he offered to let me go with him, if I promised to work.

"I owe him my life, and I will repay that debt of honor by helping him defend what matters most to him in this world, even if it kills me."

Luffy scratched at his nose. "So, you think the restaurant matters more to him than you?" The question was innocent enough, but the next remark caused Sanji's anger to flare. "You're pretty dumb, ain't ya?"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"I can't rightly say I know what he was thinking, but I don't reckon he saved you just so you could go and die later."

"Forgive me if your opinion doesn't change my mind."

"Okay," Luffy shrugged. "At any rate, we need to take out Krieg. I'm sure I can do it, if I can just get closer to him, but he's got men with him and all those crazy weapons."

"I may be able to help you with that problem," Sanji informed him, glancing back toward the back door, "but I'll need my rifle."

**End Notes:**

I do not need to be informed that canon Gin's weapons are _tonfa_. However, for the setting provided, they would not be referred to as such, and side-handled clubs are basically the same thing.

Chlorine gas was not officially weaponized until WWI, but they _almost_ used it in the American Civil War, so the technology _did_ exist. Chlorine gas is horrible stuff... The gas causes the body to send fluid to the lungs, essentially resulting in death by drowning. It also burns the eyes and airways. It _is_ possible to survive exposure, but life-long lung problems often result. (Sucks to be Gin...)

Zeff still gets to be a pirate because he's awesome and I say so. XD Of course, by pirate, I simply mean one engaging in the act of piracy, because the golden age of _actual_ pirates ended in the early 1800s.

I originally wrote that Zeff's leg was hit by a piece of shrapnel, but it turns out that term, which is actually derived from somebody whose _last name_ was Shrapnel, didn't come into use until the 1940s. Oh well... (It's interesting the things you learn when you can't remember how "shrapnel" is spelled while typing end notes and you Google it!)


	15. Krieg's Downfall

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 15- Krieg's Downfall**

Luffy and Sanji peered warily in the restaurant's back door.

"You suppose it's cleared out in there?" Luffy wondered.

"Couldn't say," Sanji mumbled. "I'm fairly certain I remember where I left my rifle, but it may have been moved when everyone ran out the back. How long can you hold your breath?"

"I used to love swimming as a kid, so pretty long..."

"Alright then." Sanji took a moment to compose himself. "You take the left side of the room, and I'll take the right. Don't take any chances. If you need air, just leave. Understand?"

Luffy nodded, and, each taking a deep breath, they reentered the building. Luffy blinked fiercely as residual gas burned his eyes. He scanned the area ahead of him quickly, looking for any sign of Sanji's weapon. Then, he felt something strike the back of his head. It was a spoon. He glanced over to Sanji, who waved the rifle triumphantly before darting back outside. Luffy was quick to follow.

Sanji snatched up some ammunition, made sure the rifle was fully loaded, and then focused his gaze on the roof of the restaurant.

"That would be an excellent vantage point," he observed.

"Need a boost?" Luffy asked, offering his intertwined hands as a foothold.

"No offense," Sanji replied, blinking at the younger boy, "but do you really think you could support me?"

"I'm stronger than I look." Luffy shrugged, grinning. "Besides, you're skinny."

"Rather the pot calling the kettle black, don't you think?" Sanji retorted. He took the offered boost, however.

The cook hauled himself over the edge of the roof and belly crawled over to the front. Like many other buildings in these parts, the Baratie had a faux front. It came up past the actual roof line just enough to conceal him. He peered over the edge to scout the situation.

Krieg was rooting around in those blasted saddle bags again, obviously up to something. Sanji noted the locations of the three men he had seen earlier, as well as two more. The additional two were huddled together by the horses, clearly in no shape to fight, and thus a minimal threat. The other three were milling about rather aimlessly, apparently unconcerned about any retaliation from the cooks. Idiots. Sanji crept back over to the back of the building.

"Luffy," he called down in a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah?" Luffy cocked his head at Sanji. "Whatcha whisperin' for?"

"Shh," Sanji scolded. "We don't want the enemy to hear us talking!"

"Oh, sorry," Luffy apologized in a much softer tone. "Did you see anything?"

"There are only three men in fighting shape, other than Krieg himself. Get ready to go after you hear the second shot. I'll take out the last man as a distraction while you rush Krieg. Be careful though, he looks like he's preparing to use something else from his bag of tricks."

"I'm gonna enjoy beating that guy..." Luffy growled.

Sanji crawled back over to the front edge of the roof and took careful aim. Moments later, one of Krieg's men crumpled to the ground almost in time with the report of the rifle. Sanji rolled to the side to avoid detection and popped up a few moments later to take out another man. The last fighter and Krieg were both eying the roof warily now. Krieg held a sawed-off shotgun in one hand.

"It's time we ended this, Krieg!" Luffy hollered, darting around the corner of the building. He had enough sense to bob and weave as he ran. Sanji took down the last additional man and settled in to watch what would happen.

Krieg snarled and took aim at the rapidly approaching Luffy. Just before he fired, Luffy's toe caught on a rock and he tumbled to the ground face first. It probably saved his life, as the buckshot ripped through the space recently occupied by Luffy's body. The wiry boy managed to throw himself to the side again, in order to dodge Krieg's second shot.

Luffy managed to draw his own gun while Krieg was reloading. He remembered that the outlaw was wearing some kind of metal plate on his torso, so he aimed for a shoulder, getting off one shot before scrambling to find cover. Fortunately for Krieg, Luffy's aim still wasn't very good. Unfortunately for him, the bullet hit his shotgun, knocking it from his hand.

Krieg drew a pistol from a holster at his right hip instead of trying to recover the shotgun. He scanned the area around him for any sign of the boy.

"Get out here and fight like a man, you scrawny runt!" Krieg seethed. "Quit bouncing around like a damned jackrabbit!" There was still no sign of Luffy. "I've got one more shot than you, boy! How long can you really hold out?"

Kreig caught a flash of motion out of the corner of his eye, but didn't have enough time to get off any shots before he was tackled to the ground.

"Long enough," Luffy panted, slamming Krieg's hand into the ground, forcing him to drop his other weapon, "if you can't shoot." He tossed the gun away. His own weapon had been left in his hiding place behind a rock nearby. He was happier using his fists anyway!

Krieg managed to toss the much lighter Luffy off of him, after he had overcome his initial surprise. Both men rolled to their feet and circled one another. Luffy hoped that his opponent was now unarmed, but Krieg drew a knife from a sheath in his right boot. Damn.

Luffy ducked and dodged, managing to get in a few light blows, but Krieg was slashing wildly, covering the largest area possible, knowing his opponent had no weapon of his own. Luffy held a hand over a particularly nasty gash on one arm. Double damn!

"If you give up," Krieg sneered, "I might just kill you quick!"

A shot struck the ground next to Krieg's left foot. Sanji had deliberately missed. He had simply felt the need to remind Krieg he had more than one opponent here.

"Require any assistance, Luffy?" he called down.

"Don't help me," Luffy replied, shaking his head. "This friend-attacking scum is mostly all talk anyway!"

"_Friend?_" Krieg laughed coldly. "Don't be ridiculous! My men are just tools to me! Weapons in my arsenal! Emotional attachments are useless!"

"Gin doesn't think that way," Luffy reminded him.

"Gin's a sentimental fool! That fight earlier was pathetic! He could have ended it at any time, but his _emotions_ made him weak!"

"If you ask me," Luffy retorted solemnly, "_you're_ the pathetic one."

"_What?!_ I'll kill you!"

Krieg lunged forward, thrusting rapidly with the blade, seeking to sink it in his enemy's flesh. Luffy managed to dodge or knock away most of the blows. Krieg's anger had made the first few jabs sloppy, but he was pulling himself together again. Luffy grinned.

"Yep," the younger man continued, "definitely pathetic! Hiding behind all those fancy weapons like a coward! You thought Gin's fight was bad? How long now have you been trying to take down one, unarmed, 'scrawny runt?'"

Krieg bellowed in rage and concentrated all of his force into one solid lunge. Luffy grabbed the other man's wrist with both hands, but he was unable to completely slow down the attack. He winced, as a good two inches of the knife blade dug into his left side. With a short grunt, he pulled the offending weapon back out, shifted his stance, and pulled the still slightly off-balance Krieg over his shoulder. They both crashed to the ground, full body weight landing on the knife, snapping the blade off in the dirt.

Krieg sat up on his knees, only to be met with Luffy's elbow to his nose. He swayed groggily as Luffy continued to rain blows down on him. He managed to block a few and land one sucker punch to Luffy's already injured side, but the tide had turned. One last uppercut sent the outlaw sailing an impressive distance.

Luffy swayed on his feet as the adrenaline from the fight began to ebb. He put a hand to his stab wound, eyes widening when it came away dripping red.

"That's probably not good," he mumbled, dropping to his knees.

Krieg wrenched himself to his feet, snarling. He loomed over the now only semi-conscious Luffy, only half aware himself. He pulled one arm back to strike the boy, when a voice pulled his attention away.

"It's over, Don Krieg," the voice rasped. "It's time to leave." Krieg turned his head to see Gin holding his shotgun. Then the butt was rushing at his face, followed by blackness.

Gin collapsed as well, hacking and gasping for air. Sanji hopped down from the roof and rushed over to the man.

"Gin, stay still!"

"No," he shrugged off Sanji's comforting hand. "Can't... give in, yet." After another fit of coughing, Gin hauled himself to his feet and began collecting his companions. "Go help your friend."

Sanji checked on Luffy. With a sigh at the waste of a perfectly good shirt, he ripped off one of his sleeves to use as bandages. Once Luffy was no longer bleeding all over everything, Sanji silently assisted Gin in carrying the other outlaws to their horses and lashing them to the saddles. The horses were tethered to one another in a line, with Gin's mount in the lead.

"Thank you," Gin rasped wearily, once he had dragged himself onto his own horse.

"Think of it as helping a friend," Sanji told him with a smirk. "Now get out of here, you filthy bandit."

The bandits disappeared into the distance as quietly as they had arrived, if a good deal more slowly. Sanji watched until he could no longer see them and darkness was truly falling in earnest.

The other cooks had returned to the building; lights shone from inside, and the smell of cooking food wafted out the window frame.

"Smells... good..." Luffy muttered in his sleep.

"I guess I'd best get you back inside, hmm?" Sanji hefted the unconscious boy over one shoulder. He smiled at the restaurant before him. A little worse for wear, perhaps, but still standing proudly.

**End Notes:**

I know very, very little about guns. In this story, Sanji is using a lever action, repeating rifle. They vary in number of shots before reloading is required, but let's say Sanji's can fire eight. (He only used four shots here.) Krieg used a double-barreled shotgun capable of one shot from each barrel before reloading. (I _think_ they can work that way...) On a semi-related note, even though many guns at the time were capable of chambering six rounds, one chamber was usually left empty, unless the gun was actively in use, as a safety precaution to avoid accidental firing.


	16. All Roads Lead to Coco

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**A/N 2: **This one is chiefly transitional stuff and a terribly butchered rendition of Sanji's farewell scene. Apparently I'm a tad emotionally stunted! (Probably why I'm such a Zoro fan, right? XD) At any rate, it used to be _much_ worse, but it scandalized/traumatized poor Dandy, so I reworked it.

**Part 16- All Roads Lead to Coco**

Usopp couldn't help flinching at the dark expression on Zoro's face. The other man rode slightly hunched over, the only visible evidence that he was injured. He currently wasn't speaking to or looking at Usopp.

That morning, Zoro had slept later than usual, most likely due to his wounds, and Usopp had not awakened him. He had probably needed the rest, Usopp figured. Consequently, they had lost all visual contact with the wagon. They had caught up enough the previous day to keep the wagon just in sight without Nami noticing them, but she had continued westward shortly after dawn.

"I'm really sorry, Zoro," Usopp tried apologizing again. "I just thought-"

"It doesn't matter," Zoro snapped. He sighed at an additional flinch from Usopp. "I'm not really angry at _you_. If we're lucky, we'll make up enough time to catch sight of her again."

"Yeah, maybe..." Usopp noted that the other man's face was slightly flushed, and his forehead was beaded with sweat, even though the day wasn't very warm yet.

At least initially, Nami appeared to be following the railroad track. Up ahead, the outline of a water tower could be seen next to a small train depot. It was probably chiefly a spot to switch mail bags, but perhaps someone had seen Nami pass.

When Zoro and Usopp entered the small building, they found it was staffed by one older gentleman.

"Excuse me, sir," Usopp began in a friendly tone, "we were wondering if you might have seen a wagon pass this way earlier today?"

"It would have been driven by a woman with red hair and had mismatched oxen," Zoro added.

The man eyed them warily, eyes flicking repeatedly to Zoro's guns. He kept the small counter in the room between himself and his guests.

"I did see a wagon earlier, though I couldn't say whether I noticed anything about the driver or the oxen." One of his hands started to drift below the counter.

"I wouldn't do that." Zoro's voice was almost disturbingly calm. He kept his arms crossed in front of himself, unmoving, as he continued to speak. "We don't mean you any harm, but, if you pull a gun on us, I'd be within my rights to defend myself."

The man swallowed nervously. "W-what do you really want?"

"We're honestly just trying to catch up with that wagon," Usopp assured him. "Is she still following the tracks?"

"Please, I don't have any valuables here, just the mail! I have a family..."

Zoro snorted and rolled his eyes at the simpering man.

"I'm going outside for some air," he told Usopp. They exchanged a look before Zoro left the building. The gunman was removing the perceived threat, but he would be within shouting distance, if Usopp should need him.

"We honestly just want to know about the wagon," Usopp insisted, turning his attention back to the railman. He held out his hands placatingly. "We'll be on our way, if you can just tell us which way she went."

The man chewed his lip for a moment, mulling it over, occasionally glancing toward the doorway. Usopp suddenly felt exceedingly brave by comparison.

"She's not following the tracks anymore," the man finally conceded. "She crossed the tracks here and broke off to the northwest."

"Thank you very much for the information," Usopp acknowledged with a smile and a nod. He began to head back out the door.

"Wait," the man called to him, "there's something else you should know."

"Oh?"

"There's only one place in that direction for days, and you may not want to go there..."

* * *

"Well?" Zoro was already sitting in his saddle, waiting, when Usopp emerged.

"She split off from the tracks. That man thinks she's headed for a town called Coco."

"You ask him to point Luffy in that direction, if he stops here?"

Usopp nodded. "He gave me some other interesting information, too."

"Oh?" Zoro let Usopp take the lead as they headed away from the depot. Usopp smiled to himself at the echo of the question he had asked moments ago.

"It seems the town has been more or less taken over by a former outlaw."

"Former?"

"The railman said he's the acting sheriff, now. He made some kind of deal with a corrupt marshal. Apparently it's a pretty dangerous place for outsiders."

"Hmm."

"Do you think Nami knows? She might be wandering into danger."

"I'd bet good money she knows," Zoro grumbled. "She's a planner. She doesn't just wander into anything."

"Oh good," Usopp groused, sarcastically, "it's just _us_, then."

* * *

Luffy's eyes blinked open slowly. He frowned. The last thing he remembered, he'd been fighting Krieg...

He bolted upright and looked around. He recognized the cooks' quarters at the Baratie. His hat and gun rested on a small nightstand next to the bed. Sanji sat in a chair nearby.

"I see you're finally awake. How are you feeling?"

Luffy put a hand to his bandaged side. The injury was only a dull throb now. His stomach rumbled loudly.

"Hungry," he answered. Sanji chuckled.

"That seems to be a rather constant state for you. It's about lunch time anyway; let's see if we can't find you something, hmm?"

The two men headed out of the bunk room and into the main dining hall. The area had been more or less restored to its pre-fight state. They were short a few tables and a lot of chairs that would require major repairs, but they were actually in a state to serve customers, which was an achievement in itself. Someone had even boarded over the window again.

Zeff, however, had decided that the restaurant could handle one day of downtime, and all the cooks were preparing to sit down for a meal together. Everyone loaded their plates from large, communal dishes, and ate with gusto.

"So, old man," Luffy wondered through a mouthful of food, "I'm free to go, now, right?"

"I suppose you _were_ a big help yesterday, and I certainly don't need you hanging around, breaking things and causing trouble."

Luffy whooped and focused all his attention back on his meal. That is, until another thought occurred to him.

"Hey, Sanji," he turned to the man next to him, who grimaced at his atrocious manners, "are you sure you don't wanna come cook for my gang?"

"I've already told you, no." Sanji scowled. "My place is here."

"Not that we need a second-rate cook like you under foot," Zeff growled. "Why do you think I had you waiting tables?"

The table went quiet. Sanji clenched his fists until the knuckles shone white.

"That's a lie. I'm the best chef here, apart from yourself. I was only waiting tables because that's where I was needed."

"Oh, absolutely," Zeff sneered. "Who doesn't need a server who spends all his time flirting with the ladies and ignoring the men?"

Sanji abruptly pushed back from the table and stood. "Suddenly," he ground between clenched teeth, "I seem to have lost my appetite. I'll be outside." The swinging doors slammed into the walls on either side when Sanji kicked his way through them during his furious exit. The others at the table let out held breath and went back to eating.

"What's that all about?" Luffy blinked at the restaurant owner. "I thought Sanji was a real good cook!"

"That he is, boy," Zeff sighed, "that he is. The trouble is, he hasn't been living his own life for years. Stupid kid thinks he has to stay with me forever. He's got his own dreams, but he won't leave unless I drive him out of here myself."

"Oh." Luffy shrugged. "It's too bad he doesn't want to go with me, then."

"You won't take him?"

"Not if he doesn't want to go."

"I can _hear_ you," a voice drifted in from out front. It seems they had forgotten about that window again...

Sanji shuffled back inside. He met Zeff's glare with one of his own, and they stared each other down for a few moments.

"You really want me to leave?" Sanji finally asked.

Zeff turned away. "Like I said before, I don't need you under foot." He stumped off to the kitchens.

Sanji sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He turned to Luffy, who was still stuffing his face. "You still need a cook?"

* * *

Sanji had packed up his belongings silently. It turned out that the pack mule wasn't the only animal Sanji owned. He met Luffy out front about an hour after the meal, a large work horse trailing behind him. The animal was plenty large enough for two people to ride comfortably.

Before leaving, Sanji took a few moments to look at the restaurant that had been his home most of his life.

"Don't you wanna say goodbye to-"

"Why should I bother?" Sanji cut Luffy's question short. "If the old man doesn't care, why should I?"

They had only gone a few steps before a voice stopped them.

"Sanji," Zeff called softly, "take care of yourself out there." He was standing in the front doorway.

"Thank you," Sanji replied. He didn't want to turn back, so Zeff wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "I'll never forget all you've done for me!"

Then Sanji heard a sound that was almost certainly a sniffle from the direction of the porch. Eyes wide in surprise he turned to look at his father figure. Zeff furiously blinked the moisture from his eyes and managed a smile. Sanji answered with a wave an a broad grin. He then spurred the horse forward and they trotted out of the area.

Luffy was careful not to say anything that might ruin the moment.

"So," Sanji cleared his throat, breaking the silence, "which way are we going?"

"Um..."

* * *

Nami stopped the wagon on a small rise outside of Coco and looked down at the town in which she'd been raised. She couldn't see her own home from this angle, but she knew exactly where it was. She sighed and turned to head around the town. There was no reason to cause a scene. She wasn't heading there anyway.

She glanced over to the spot in the wagon where she had hidden the documents taken from the fort what seemed like ages ago.

"I'm back, Arlong..."

**End Note:**

I shortened the name of Nami's hometown from Cocoyashi to Coco because it jived a little better with the setting. It seems a little random to me now, since I left the names of all Arlong's men, Genzo, and Nojiko the same... Oh well.


	17. A Less Than Warm Welcome

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 17- A Less Than Warm Welcome**

Usopp and Zoro paused at a small creek outside of Coco to discuss how to proceed. The road split on the other side of the sad, slow trickle of water, with the left fork leading to the town and the right over a small hill and out of sight. Fresh wagon tracks through the mud went right. There was no real telling whether it had been Nami and _their_ wagon, however.

Usopp was all for heading into town to gather information. At the very least, they could get some decent food. Zoro had not permitted any campfires on the way, to avoid detection, so their diet had been restricted to hard tack and water. Usopp was fairly certain Zoro had only had the water.

Zoro insisted that they follow the wagon tracks. Luffy told them to bring Nami back, and it was their best lead, having lost visual contact. Also, he had pointed out, if Nami had approached the town from this direction and actually gone into town, there should be tracks going that direction, which there weren't.

"Either way, shouldn't we get some rest before we continue?" Usopp tried valiantly to mask his concern for his comrade's health with indifference. Zoro's eyes were glassy, and he seemed to sway slightly in the saddle every now and again.

"I don't need to rest, Usopp." Zoro sighed. Apparently the concern wasn't hidden very well at all... "I'm fine. We have a job to do, so let's get to it!"

Usopp had opened his mouth to protest, when he noticed three riders cresting the hill to the right. He considered hailing them, until he noticed they were both armed and wearing deputy badges. Wasn't the sheriff here supposed to be trouble?

"Zoro, maybe we should get off the road..."

It was too late: the men had seen them. Zoro's right hand automatically drifted to his hip and the gun holstered there. Usopp clenched his reins tightly and watched to see what the strangers would do.

The rider furthest to the left drew his weapon and fired a warning shot into the dirt between their horses. Zoro managed to keep his mount under control, but Luffy's mare bolted left, with Usopp hanging on for dear life.

Zoro fisted a hand in his shirt, eyes scrunched shut, as the sudden movement caused sharp pain in his recent wounds. When he opened his eyes again, he was surrounded.

"Well, well," the warning shot firer sneered. "What have we here? Don't get too many armed visitors around here."

"Seems pretty suspicious to me," another agreed. "We'd better take him to see the Sheriff, don't you think?"

Zoro briefly considered putting up a fight, but his chest was still throbbing and he couldn't seem to focus his eyes as well as he'd like. Instead, he held up both hands in a gesture of surrender. It was only for the time being, he told himself.

"You guys bring him in," the third rider directed, "and I'll go after that other one." When he received a nod of assent, he spurred his horse toward Coco. One of the other men grabbed Zoro's reins and began leading him away.

***

Usopp finally managed to calm the mare down about a third of the way down the town's main street. He took a quick look around him as both he and the horse panted for air. As soon as his lungs were full enough to do so, Usopp couldn't help a small gasp.

The streets were completely deserted. The curtains were closed tightly in all the windows, and the only sound was a soft plinking noise from a dripping pump at a water trough outside what must be the saloon. Usopp nudged his horse forward at a slow walk, eyes scanning all around.

"Psst! You," a low voice hissed from a narrow alley between two buildings.

"Me?" Usopp found himself asking foolishly. Of course they meant him! He was the only one here after all...

"Get off the main street before somebody else sees you!" A head poked out of the alley. It was a young woman with light blue hair. Her left arm was in a sling. She gestured frantically with her good arm for Usopp to join her. He dismounted and led the tired mare into the alley.

Usopp opened his mouth to ask about the odd circumstances in the town, when he heard a rider on the main street. The woman shook her head and Usopp closed his mouth again.

"Go out behind this building," she whispered, "and I'll join you in a moment." When he didn't immediately start moving, she gave him a less than gentle shove. "Go!"

Usopp hurried to the designated spot and resisted the urge to peer back around the corner of the building. He heard a male voice speaking moments later.

"Nojiko? What are you doing here?"

"I was watering the horses at the stables. Genzo usually does it, but since I was home injured anyway..."

"Did you see a man ride through here?"

"Well, a horse tore through here a few minutes ago like it's tail was on fire, but I can't honestly say I noticed anything about the rider. I'd imagine they're long gone by now."

"They head straight through?" Nojiko must have nodded, since there was no verbal response. "Guess I'll see if I can catch sight of 'em. Finish your work and get back home. You're no use to us, if that arm doesn't heal up nicely."

Usopp heard the rider spur his horse on with a whoop and let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He managed not to jump when Nojiko laid a hand on his shoulder. Mostly.

"Thanks for throwing him off my trail," Usopp sighed with a relieved smile.

"I thought the word had spread pretty far that people should avoid this place," Nojiko grumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"It's kind of a long story," Usopp offered apologetically.

"In that case, save it until we get back to my place." She held out her good hand. "I'm Nojiko." Usopp shook the offered hand solemnly.

"My name is Usopp. I appreciate the offer, but I think my friend may have been taken prisoner. I really should check-"

"If Arlong's men have your friend, there's really nothing you can do about it," Nojiko insisted. "If you don't get out of sight, you'll be joining him in no time. I'm going home. You can come with me like I offered, or walk straight into a hopeless situation. It's up to you."

"Well, when you put it that way..."

***

Arlong was seated at the large desk in his office when Nami let herself in without knocking.

"Well," he chuckled dismissively, "it's been a while, hasn't it?" He gave her only a cursory glance before returning his attention to preparing a letter for mailing. It was probably a bribe, Nami mused to herself silently.

"Not long enough," she smiled sweetly, belying the acid nature of her comment. She tossed a small bundle of documents onto the desk. "There are the land survey results you wanted from the fort. I also picked up a few gold strike claims for you."

"Excellent work, as always. When will you be completing your final maps of this area for me?"

"You haven't forgotten our deal, have you?" Nami ignored his question in favor of one of her own.

"I could never forget," he smiled like the shark he was. "I am, after all, a man of my word."

One of Arlong's men slipped in the door quietly and waited to be acknowledged.

"Yes, Kuroobi?"

"When you have a moment, some of the boys caught an interloper. I thought you might want to deal with him personally."

"You really think it's worth my time?" Arlong seemed rather annoyed, even though he didn't appear to have any other pressing business at the moment.

"Normally, I wouldn't bother you," Kuroobi answered calmly, "but I thought this particular man might be of interest. He appears to be the Devil's Gunman."

Nami tried not to show any reaction to the announcement, but her face must have given something away.

"I'm certain you don't know anything about this?" Arlong raised one eyebrow as he focused his gaze on the young lady.

"Actually, I might," Nami answered honestly, but declined to provide any further details.

"Very well," Arlong stood and straightened his shirt cuffs. "I think I _will_ have a word with this gunman. Will you be joining us, Nami?"

"Maybe in a little while," Nami tossed casually over one shoulder as she left the room herself. "I have some unpacking to do."

"The Devil's Gunman, you say?" Arlong let a slow smirk spread across his face. "I wonder if he'll live up to his reputation..."

**End Notes:**

I am always appalled by the whole leaving Zoro tied up on the boat and running away scene... The initial abandonment scene is thus involuntary here.

Arlong and crew are not fishmen in this AU; they are regular people. Well, maybe not _regular_, but you know what I mean. I _do_ however have several little nods to their original selves, like the "shark" line in this part.


	18. Revelations

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 18- Revelations**

Arlong was rather severely unimpressed by the green-haired gunman upon first inspection. He was barely more than a boy, and no gunman of his supposed caliber should have been captured so easily and without a fight. On top of all that, the boy looked like you could knock him over with a feather at the moment. It was not until he locked eyes with the gunman that Arlong dismissed his first impression.

Zoro Roronoa had the eyes of a killer.

That dark gaze triggered Arlong's adrenaline, even though the gunman was in no position to do anything. His hands were tied securely behind his back, and his guns had been taken from him anyway.

To prevent him from trying to escape, a noose had been looped around his neck and over an overhanging tree limb. The tips of his toes rested on a precariously balanced stool that had one pesky short leg. So long as he held perfectly still, the rope remained loose, but, if he were to make any sudden movements, he'd find himself hanging.

"So," Arlong sneered, "you're the Devil's Gunman. What brings you all the way out to my little corner of the world?"

"I'm looking for somebody."

"Do tell. Not me, I hope?" It wouldn't be the first time some young gun had come looking for the infamous Arlong.

"No," Zoro managed to equal Arlong's level of scorn, "_not_ you. There was a woman traveling with my... group. She took off with our wagon, and I told a friend I'd bring her back."

"A woman with a wagon, you say?" Arlong grinned wickedly. "Red hair? Sharp wits and a sharper tongue?"

"Sounds like you've met her," Zoro deadpanned, face still set in a stony glare. "If you'll just tell me which way she went, I'll hurry on out of your 'little corner.'"

"I've got some good news and some bad news, Roronoa. On the one hand," Arlong chuckled, eyes twinkling maliciously, "your search is over. Look no further! The woman you're seeking is right here. On the other hand, I'm afraid she won't be leaving with you."

"What are you talking about?" Zoro's stoic mask changed to a confused frown.

"What he's saying," a familiar voice answered Zoro's question, "is that I work for him." Nami stepped into view.

"Nami?!"

***

A short distance away, in the small kitchen of Nojiko's home, Usopp was receiving the very same shocking information.

"She's _what_?!"

"Nami's been working for Arlong for years," Nojiko repeated casually.

"She never said anything about this..." Usopp was gaping like a fish out of water. He looked so ridiculous that Nojiko couldn't help a smile, despite the serious nature of their conversation.

"I don't expect she would. Nami's not much on personal sharing. Also, if you haven't figured it out by now," Nojiko rolled her eyes, "Nami is a thief, first and foremost. She took what she wanted from you, and you'll probably never see it again."

"How is it that you know so much about Nami, if she doesn't like to share?" Usopp wondered.

"We grew up together," Nojiko informed him. "You see, Nami's my younger sister."

"She's _what_?!"

"Not by blood, mind you, but she's my sister just the same."

"But, if she's working for Arlong," Usopp mumbled, face suddenly going pale, "Zoro's really in trouble!"

"Don't go trying to play hero," Nojiko chided in a no nonsense tone. "Like I told you before, there's really nothing you can do."

Out in the foyer, a grandfather clock chimed six o'clock. Nojiko stood from the table and pulled Usopp over to a window that looked out from the small hill on which the house was located and out over the town.

"Take a look out there and see what sort of a madman you'd be up against."

Usopp squinted out into the fast fading light. At first, he could discern nothing unusual. He was about to ask for what exactly he should be looking, when a light caught his eye.

About a mile outside of town were the foothills of a nearby mountain range. A small group of what must be lanterns seemingly appeared out of nowhere on the mountainside and then travelled toward town in single file. The line passed a short ways from Nojiko's home on it's way into Coco. The lanterns illuminated haggard faces of all ages, from the elderly to young children. Faces were streaked with dirt, and they all shuffled forward with weary steps. Usopp directed a puzzled glance toward Nojiko.

"There's a mine up in those mountains." Nojiko absently rubbed the shoulder of her injured arm. "Arlong's got the whole town working there every other day. The only ones who don't have to work are infants and the injured. He keeps everything we find and charges us a 'protection' tax, as well. It's true that we haven't had any trouble from any other outlaws, but I think some of us would _prefer_ an attack from the outside."

"Hasn't anyone tried to stand up to him?" Usopp thought back to his own stand against Kuro. "Surely you outnumber Arlong and his men?"

"They have all the weapons," Nojiko's voice suddenly took on a sad lilt, "and they aren't shy about using them. Bellemere, my and Nami's adopted mother, tried standing up to Arlong, when he first came here."

Usopp almost wanted to ask what happened, but the look on the young woman's face told him he probably didn't really want to know. He had his suspicions, though, seeing as the woman wasn't here now.

"Knowing all of this, how could Nami willingly work for that monster?" Usopp could scarcely fathom it.

"That," Nojiko stated briskly, pulling the curtains closed sharply, "is a story for another time, I think. Follow me, and I'll show you where you can spend the night, if you like."

Nojiko bustled from the room, without further preamble. Usopp spared one last backward glance at the now curtained window before following his hostess.

***

Back at Arlong's, during the same span of time, Zoro was gaping at a smirking Nami. She walked up to him and cocked her head to one side, examining him like a bug under glass.

"You idiots really thought I was one of your silly little 'gang,' didn't you?" She snickered scornfully. "I told you from the beginning that I was only using you boys as an escort. Then, when we got closer to here and the opportunity presented itself at the Baratie, I took my chance and made off with that lovely little wagon."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that your time with us meant nothing to you?" Zoro scoffed.

"Believe what you want," Nami sniffed in disdain, "but I couldn't care less what happens to you. _Any_ of you."

They traded glares for a few tense moments before Zoro smirked and did the completely unexpected: he kicked the stool away.

The drop didn't have sufficient force to snap the gunman's neck, but the noose was very effectively cutting off his air. Zoro never even struggled, simply maintaining eye contact with Nami, his face growing ever redder and in danger of approaching purple. It was one thing to say you didn't care what happened to someone, but it was quite another to watch them strangle while staring you right in the face. Finally unable to stand the situation any longer, Nami stooped, pulled a small knife from her boot, and sawed at the rope just above the knot on the tree trunk. The blade frayed the rope enough for Zoro's weight to finish the job of snapping the line.

Zoro hit the ground heavily on his right side, unable to catch himself with his hands bound as they were. He was twitching slightly and making an odd, wheezing sound. Nami was _almost_ concerned until she realized the noise was Zoro laughing with limited air, through a bruised throat.

"So," he panted, trapping Nami's eyes with his own again, "if you... don't... care, how come... you couldn't... watch me... die?"

Nami fumed and refused to answer. Instead, she planted a sharp kick in Zoro's gut. He doubled over, hissing in agony. Odd... She hadn't kicked all _that_ hard, had she? She turned her attention to Arlong.

"You can do whatever you'd like with this scum, but he's strong, so it seems a pity to kill him. He might also have some useful information you could squeeze out of him." With that parting remark, she hurried on her way.

"You heard the lady, boys," Arlong smirked. "Lock this poor fool up in the cellar. We'll just have to continue our little 'discussion' tomorrow."

**End Notes:**

I just can't seem to let poor Zoro catch a break... (I feel like l should feel worse for kind of enjoying putting my favorite character through trauma.)

My substitution for the "Zoro throws himself in the water with his hands and feet tied so Nami will have to save him" scene is a little overly elaborate, but I kind of like it. I love the original scene, too!


	19. Out of the Frying Pan

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 19- Out of the Frying Pan...**

Arlong had just finished a lavish breakfast and was preparing to pay a visit to his "guest" in the basement when Chu returned, dusty and in a foul mood. The men who had brought in Roronoa reported that he had followed after the gunman's unidentified companion.

"I expected you to bring some company," Arlong prodded carefully. "What happened? Did he prove to be too elusive?"

"It's the strangest thing," Chu explained in a dark tone, eyes narrowed. "I followed straight behind him into town, but he was nowhere to be seen. Care to guess who I _did_ meet?"

"Tell me." Arlong's voice never lost its rather playful quality, but every man in the room could tell that someone was in for a world of hurt.

"Nojiko." Chu spat the name like a curse. "She told me she hadn't really seen anything, and that the stranger continued all the way through Coco. I searched all over the other side of town, but I couldn't find so much as a hoof print. It's almost like he was _never there_." Chu was one of Arlong's best trackers. If he said there had been no sign, it was certain that there hadn't been.

"You think he's still in town?" Chu shook his head in response to the question.

"I circled the whole place, looking for signs of a rider. It looks like a horse headed up toward Nojiko's place last night. She doesn't own one, does she?"

"No," Arlong's eyes glinted dangerously, "I don't believe she does." The fool in the basement could wait. "Perhaps we should pay her a visit."

"I noticed something else on my way back through town," Chu added in a deceptively casual manner. "Our favorite former lawman has something very interesting hanging on his wall."

"So," Arlong chuckled, "old Genzo's at it again, eh? I've changed my mind about our visit. There's an example to be made..."

***

The cell in the basement wasn't the worst place Zoro had ever spent the night, but it might make it into the top five. The basement had been dug directly out of the dirt and had been finished only minimally. It smelled of dirt and mold, and even though the floor had been packed down, it was anything but level. A corner just big enough for pacing, or lying on the ground to sleep, was blocked off by two short walls composed of iron bars. The longer wall had a door. It appeared that the bars had been brought here from another location--probably the town's former jailhouse.

They hadn't even left him a guard to annoy to pass the time. Bastards. Zoro had kept himself busy trying to get his hands untied for a while, before he finally gave up on the idea, wrists chafed raw. Staring at the walls had gotten old pretty quickly, too. When he tried to get some sleep, the ceiling was only moderately more interesting.

Whoever had put in the bars hadn't done a very good job; there were several gaps between the edges of the bars and the ceiling and floor. If Zoro's chest hadn't still been bothering him, he might have tried knocking the bars out of place. He was actually contemplating doing it anyway, just for something to do, when he heard the door at the top of the stairs open.

"What are _you_ doing here?" The question came out a little more hostile than he'd meant it; then again, the last time he'd seen Nami, she'd kicked him in the gut.

She ignored him and walked over to a table in the opposite corner of the room, where the keys and Zoro's guns had been left in plain view, and retrieved the keys. She drew the knife from her boot again and stood in front of the bars silently for a few moments.

"This feels familiar," she mumbled, then unlocked the door and slid it to the side. Zoro eyed the knife warily, but refused to show any other reaction. "Turn around," she ordered him, voice flat and emotionless.

"Why? Want to stab me in the back _literally_, too?"

"Just do it," she snapped. Deciding not to further provoke the knife wielding Nami, despite how amusing it was, Zoro obediently turned around. Nami cut away the ropes binding his wrists and he bit back a hiss of relief as they fell away.

"Thanks," he grumbled, flexing his hands and massaging the abused skin.

"If you want to thank me, get out of here. Now. Arlong's gone into town, so you have a chance. It's a long walk to any place friendly, so I'd get a move on, if I were you." She turned, without another word, and headed back upstairs.

Zoro wasn't about to just meekly do _everything_ Nami said. First things first; he strapped his guns back in place. Then he ran a hand through his hair and scowled. One of Arlong's men had taken his hat. He really liked that hat...

He climbed the stairs and took an unplanned tour of the entire house while looking for the door. On the way, he found a quick breakfast of some fruit, an unlocked cabinet with an intriguing variety of booze, from which he liberated a small bottle of whiskey, and the lone sentry Arlong had left on guard. Unfortunately for the sentry, he was the one that had taken Zoro's hat.

Hat now back where it belonged and door located, Zoro whistled to himself as he walked toward the small corral where he expected to find his horse. Except the gelding wasn't there.

_"It's a long walk to any place friendly..."_

"Shit," Zoro seethed under his breath. "She stole my horse again."

With a resigned sigh, he followed the only road leading from Arlong's property and headed into town.

***

Usopp hadn't slept well at all. It wasn't that the room he had been given was uncomfortable, but he couldn't help but worry. It wasn't just about Zoro, either. If he stayed with Nojiko much longer, she could be in danger for helping him. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do afterwards, but he was certain it was time to go. He walked into the kitchen to find Nojiko gazing out the window with a frown, a mug of hot tea in her hand.

"I'd, um, like to thank you sincerely, for allowing me to stay here," Usopp began, voice gaining confidence as he continued speaking, "but I must be going. I would hate to get you in any further trouble by remaining here. I'll just-"

"You can't leave now," Nojiko cut him off.

"It's nice that you're so concerned about my welfare, but-"

"No," Nojiko rolled her eyes, "I mean you really _can't_. Arlong and most of his men just rode into town. If you leave now, someone's bound to see you."

"Oh... Do you think they're looking for me?"

"Maybe," Nojiko allowed with a slight shrug, "but they don't look like they're searching for anything. They seem to know where they're going..." she trailed off with a slight gasp. "That's Genzo's house!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. "I have to go see what's happening! Stay here!"

"Nojiko, wait!" he called after her, but she was already out the door.

***

"I thought we talked about this, Genzo," Arlong chided, clucking his tongue. "My men and I are the only ones allowed to possess weapons."

They stood in the street outside Genzo's home. A small crowd of townspeople peered past the ring of Arlong's men, trying to see the purpose of the hated sheriff's visit. Genzo was held immobile by two of Arlong's men, each holding one of his arms. Arlong stood in front of him, a sheathed cavalry saber in his hands.

"That's a keepsake from my service," Genzo growled, scowling at Arlong. "It's purely decorative. You know I wouldn't start any trouble..."

Arlong unsheathed the blade in one smooth motion, running a thumb along the edge. "It appears perfectly functional to me. Besides," the sheriff grinned maliciously, "this isn't about whether or not you planned to _use_ this weapon; it's about following rules."

"I told you," Genzo retorted stubbornly, "I don't even think of that as a weapon."

"Well," Arlong sneered, "that's part of the reason why you don't make the rules anymore." Arlong extended his arm, tracing the tip of the blade along Genzo's throat. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to make an example of you, old man."

"Leave him alone!" a voice rang out clearly. Arlong's grin widened.

"How nice of you to join us, Nojiko," Arlong chuckled. "You've just saved me a trip." When the girl's expression changed from righteous anger to confusion and mild fear, Arlong elaborated. "Chu tells me there are signs that a horse rode toward your house. Tell me, why is that?"

"I... I was moving some supplies, so I borrowed a horse from the town stables."

"She's lying," Chu commented.

"I know," Arlong replied mildly, as he flicked his wrist, nicking Genzo's throat slightly. Nojiko gasped in horror. "Let's try that again. Why did a horse go up to your place yesterday, Nojiko?"

"There was a rider," Nojiko admitted. "He stopped briefly, on his way out of town, but he's gone now." It was only a half lie.

"I'm afraid I still don't believe you," Arlong sighed in a mocking tone. He pulled his hand back to run Genzo through. Nojiko screamed. Genzo flinched.

Two rocks flew seemingly out of nowhere, one striking Arlong's hand, causing him to drop the saber. The other hit him squarely on the bridge of his nose, splitting the skin. Arlong put a hand to the small cut, staring at the blood in disbelief before he saw red and his face contorted into a mask of rage.

"Who dares to strike me?!" he roared.

A lone figure wielding a slingshot leapt down from the low roof of a nearby building and took off at a full run.

"Hey," one of the scouts from the previous day mused aloud, "wasn't that the guy who was with Roronoa?"

"Find him!" Arlong ordered. "I'll kill that pipsqueak with my bare hands!"

Chu and several others took off after the outsider. Arlong backhanded Genzo viciously, venting some of his anger. The crowd of townspeople started to become agitated. Kuroobi knew a bad situation developing when he saw one.

"Let's head back home, Boss," he suggested placatingly. "Chu'll find that kid. Besides, you never got to interrogate that gunman."

Arlong allowed himself to be dragged away, glaring at the citizens of Coco as he passed.

"I've decided I'm making an example of all of you!" the sheriff snarled. "Enjoy your day off, it's the last one any of you'll get for weeks! That includes you, Nojiko, arm or no arm!"

**End Notes:**

If you've read any of my other work, you're probably aware already, but I like to recycle running gags. Hence the hat and the horse. It amuses me and I can't seem to control myself. (Same for the Zoro introspection and Zoro/Nami interaction.)

Just in case anybody's wondering, Hatchi _will_ be in this, I just haven't mentioned him, yet. (It would just be _unfair _to have Kuroobi and Chu but not Hatchi!)

Also, if you haven't yet guessed the unoriginal title of the next part, you make me very sad indeed...


	20. Into the Fire

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 20- Into the Fire**

Usopp crouched behind a large rock and desperately attempted to catch his breath. It seemed like he'd been running for ages! He was pretty sure he'd lost most of Arlong's men, except for the blond guy with the odd lips.

Part one of his plan, "distract Arlong and his men," had gone off without a hitch. Part two, "take the fight somewhere you have an advantage," was proving considerably more difficult. It didn't help that he was completely unfamiliar with the area.

He palmed his ammunition bag and frowned to himself: he was running a little low. Usopp preferred river rocks because the small, smooth shapes were more aerodynamic, but water had been scarce of late on the journey and he hadn't had a chance to restock. He'd run in the opposite direction of the creek, so that was out. He took a look around and blinked.

It seemed he'd wandered his way all the way up near the mining operation! Small rocks were in abundance here, but they were all rather jagged. He picked one up for closer inspection and sucked in a hissed breath as a sharp edge made a small slice in his thumb. He turned the piece over on his palm. It looked almost like flint... He pocketed the stone and peered over the top of his makeshift hiding spot.

Boulders like this one were scattered throughout the area. Given a little time to plan, this area would be perfect for him to make a stand! If he started over there, near the mine entrance... Usopp was so caught up in his plotting, he failed to notice the approaching footsteps until a shadow fell over him. He turned around into a sharp, back-handed blow.

"I've had just about enough of chasing you around, boy." Usopp saw stars and felt someone haul him to his feet through his daze. Both his arms were twisted behind him roughly, and his wrists were clamped in a bruising grip. "I'd take care of your worthless hide myself, but the Boss wants to deal with you personally."

***

Arlong was not at all pleased when he returned home to interrogate Roronoa and found an empty cell in the basement, an unconscious guard, and Nami nowhere to be found. Arlong and his men gathered in his study to discuss the situation.

"There's no way he could have reached the keys on his own," Kuroobi insisted. "Someone had to let him out. There was only one other person, besides the guard, here when we left."

"Nami's not an idiot." Arlong frowned. "She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize our deal. At least, not when she thinks she's so close to getting what she wants most."

"Maybe somebody broke in and freed him," another man suggested.

"You _know_ she hates you," Kuroobi continued. "She probably set the gunman loose so he could kill you."

"If that were the case," Arlong rolled his eyes, "why wouldn't he wait here to ambush us?"

"Maybe he got bored?" It was the same man from before. Kuroobi preempted any further stupid comments with a cold glare.

"Whether she set Roronoa free or not," Kuroobi muttered, scowling, "her sudden disappearance is suspicious."

"Don't be so paranoid!" Everyone looked to the doorway, where Nami was standing, leaning casually against the frame. "I went for a ride. I needed some fresh air." Her eyes widened ever so slightly when she saw the small cut on Arlong's face. "Have a little trouble in town?"

"The incident is hardly worth mentioning." Arlong shrugged casually, but Nami knew him well enough to see the fury simmering just beneath the surface. "I plan to remedy it very shortly. Until then, I'd prefer to discuss other business. When did Hatchi's telegram say he would be returning?"

"It could be as early as today," Kuroobi informed him. "It depends on the marshal's schedule."

"That fool is almost more trouble than he's worth," Arlong grumbled. He strolled over to the window and scanned the area outside. A wicked grin slowly spread across his features when he saw two figures approaching the house. "It looks like Chu caught our friend the sniper..."

***

Zoro cursed under his breath. He'd found the road again, still unsure how he'd lost it in the first place, but he was almost certain he'd been to this very spot at least once before.

"Say, stranger, you lost?" Zoro was so preoccupied trying to figure out how he'd gotten where he was, he hadn't heard the horses approaching him from behind. He eyed the riders and tensed slightly when he realized that the man who had spoken was wearing a deputy badge. One of the other riders wore a marshal's badge and the rest screamed "hired muscle."

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for Coco..." Zoro hoped he sounded casual. He didn't remember seeing this particular man at Arlong's earlier, and if he was lucky, the rider had never seen him either.

"Town's that way," the rider informed him, pointing down the road behind him. "What's your name, friend?" Zoro debated lying, but he wasn't sure how convincing his acting skills were. Finally, he opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted. "Who am I, you ask?" The deputy now pointed to himself. "My name is Hatchi." Again, Zoro attempted to get in a response, but Hatchi would apparently have none of it. "It was nice talking with you, but I must be going." With that, the deputy continued in the opposite direction from that which he had indicated led to town. All the other riders followed.

"That was... odd," Zoro mumbled to himself as he headed in the direction indicated before. He never noticed when he left the road again.

***

A small tributary of the stream ran through Arlong's property. He had his men dig out a small, artificial pond when he'd first settled here. Chu was currently holding the struggling Usopp's head under the surface of said pond. At a nod from Arlong, he pulled Usopp back upright by his hair.

"Are you ready to talk, now?" Arlong inquired, tone almost pleasant.

"I told you," Usopp spluttered, "I thought Zoro was here! Besides, even if I knew where he was right now, I wouldn't tell _you_! I won't tell you anything!"

"Well then," Arlong grinned wickedly, letting his hand drift down to the gun at his hip, "if you can't be of any further use..."

"I-I didn't say _that_!" Usopp almost wriggled free of his captor's hold in his panic.

"Keep him still, Chu." Arlong chuckled maliciously. "I'd hate to miss and make him _suffer_."

Usopp's mind raced, finally landing on a memory of a similar situation not that long ago. He slammed the back of his head into Chu's face and bolted when the man's grip loosened. He almost ran straight into Nami.

"You shouldn't have come here, Usopp," she told him solemnly. Usopp shuddered at the cold, emotionless mask of Nami's expression. He gasped aloud when he noticed the knife in her hand.

"Nami, wait! You don't really want to hurt me, do you?"

"Sorry, Usopp, but you're in my way." She really did sound disappointed. "You shouldn't have interfered."

Usopp's back was facing Arlong and his men, but they all saw him stiffen and then shudder as Nami stabbed forward with the blade. He raised one blood covered hand and stared at it in disbelief.

"Why?" The question was almost too quiet to hear. Nami's only answer was to shove him to the side and into the pond. He sank quietly out of sight.

"Hatchi's back," Nami announced dully, locking eyes with Arlong. "The marshal is waiting for you.

Arlong walked past her without a word. Kuroobi followed immediately after, not even attempting to hide the look of distrust on his face. The others left as well, leaving Nami alone and bloody at the edge of the pond.

***

"What in tarnation is wrong with this road?" Zoro wondered out loud as he looked around at what appeared to be a whole lot of nowhere in particular. There was a small hill ahead, so maybe he could get a better look around. The climb took more out of him than he thought it would, and he stumbled at the crest of the hill, rolling awkwardly down and, ironically, into the middle of the road.

"Whoa!" Zoro looked up to see that he'd almost been run over by a large horse with two familiar riders.

"Hey, it's Zoro! Whatcha' doin' in the middle of the road?" Luffy asked.

Zoro decided not to grace the question with a response. He stood stiffly and brushed some of the dust off of his clothes.

"Looks like things turned out okay at the restaurant..."

"It was wild!" Luffy beamed. "That Krieg guy had all these weird weapons and-"

"You can tell him all about it later," Sanji interrupted, rolling his eyes. He'd been listening to Luffy ramble the entire trip. He turned his focus to the dusty gunman. "Did you and that other fellow catch up with that delicate vision of beauty?" Sanji's eyes glazed over for a moment, and he was clearly picturing that "delicate vision."

"She's working for Arlong, the guy who took over this town and made himself sheriff. I don't think she'll be leaving with us, Luffy."

"Really?" Luffy frowned. "That mail guy said Arlong was the head of a gang, and Nami said she hates gangs..." He chewed his bottom lip for a moment. Then, another idea struck him. "Hey! I thought you were gonna call me 'Boss,' Zoro! Where's Usopp?"

"We got separated right after we got here." Zoro shrugged. "I figured I'd look for him in town."

"Perhaps he's already looking for you," Sanji offered casually as he lit a cigarette. Zoro's face paled as he thought about that.

"If he goes looking for me at Arlong's, they'll eat him alive! We've got to find him before he gets in over his head!"

"You're already too late." They all turned to see Nami had snuck up on them. Zoro mumbled a curse when he saw she was riding his horse, just as he'd suspected. She dismounted and thrust the reins at Zoro. He noticed she was wearing dark riding gloves, even though the weather was hot. "Take your horse and get out of here! All of you!"

"What do you mean we're 'too late?'" Zoro asked as he took the proffered reins.

"I mean Usopp is dead," she declared, straight-faced. "I killed him."

**End Note:**

Go ahead, give me a slow head shake of shame... I realize I copped out on the "Usopp death" by leaving it basically the same. What can I say? Faking a death is difficult!


	21. The Gang's All Here

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**A/N 2: **Who's ready for more condensed and distorted backstory?

**Part 21- The Gang's All Here**

Nami had prepared herself for any number of reactions to her statement: anger, shock, perhaps even disgust. Instead, she got got a blank look from both Zoro and Luffy and the chef was staring at an empty space next to her head with a goofy smile on his face.

"Didn't you hear me?" She was getting frustrated, but it simply wouldn't do to become hysterical. She lowered her voice slightly, as she continued. "Usopp is _dead_. You should all leave before someone finishes you lot off, too!"

Luffy's expression had shifted to puzzled. "Why would you kill Usopp?" Nami found herself pinned to the spot by an oddly piercing stare. Finally, Luffy nodded once sharply. "I don't believe it."

"I killed him for getting in the way," Nami insisted. "There's nothing for you here, so go!"

"We just got here." Luffy's jaw was set stubbornly, and he crossed his arms in front of himself. "I feel like staying for a while."

"Well, if the _Boss_ is staying," both Zoro and Nami knew he used the title just to annoy her, but Luffy's stubborn expression shifted to a pleased grin, "then I guess I'm staying, too."

"Any time spent in your lovely presence, Miss Nami, would be sheer bliss," Sanji came back to himself enough to gush.

"Fine," Nami snarled, clenching her fists and looking away. "Get yourselves killed, if you want! I warned you out of courtesy, for helping me before, but I don't owe you anything! Don't expect me to be of any further help!" With that parting remark, she turned and ran back down the road.

"That girl," Zoro mused absently, as he gave his horse a quick once over, "is nothing but trouble. Never figured her for the violent kind, but I always suspected she might rob us blind..."

"I say," Sanji glowered at him, "I'll not have you speak ill of a lady in my presence."

"I guess it's a good thing I'm only talking about Nami, ain't it?" Zoro scowled right back. Sanji dismounted and moved to stand toe to toe with the gunman.

"Hey, who's that over there?" A wet and bedraggled figure stumbled out onto the road. The profile was unmistakeable. "Usopp!" Luffy hollered, waving both arms and grinning. "I knew you weren't dead!" Sanji and Zoro paid Usopp's miraculous reappearance no heed.

"First," Sanji bristled with outrage, "you have the audacity to impugn that young woman's honor by calling her a thief behind her back, then you imply that she's not a lady? How dare you!"

"I never said anything what wasn't true, and I meant every word," Zoro countered, eyes narrowing. "I ain't taking it back, neither."

"Luffy!" Usopp panted, shivering in his wet state, despite the heat. "When did you get here? Why are those two fighting?"

"Sanji and I just got here. As for those two," Luffy shrugged, "Zoro said something about Nami being a thief and not a lady, and Sanji got mad. Nami said she killed you, but I didn't believe it."

"She certainly made it look like she did," Usopp started to explain, "but I think everybody should hear that story." They both turned to look at the other two men, whose argument had devolved to name calling.

"I suppose I was foolish to expect tact from a walking cactus!" Sanji fumed.

"I get it!" Luffy chuckled. "It's 'cause he's got green hair!"

"_And_ he's prickly," Usopp added.

"Least I don't lose all semblance of a spine as soon as a skirt walks in the room, quirley brow!" Both spectators cocked their heads to the side for a moment.

"It _does_ sort of look like it's been rolled, doesn't it?" Usopp mused. Luffy nodded.

The fight may have come to actual physical blows, if the combatants hadn't become more annoyed with their audience than each other. They turned their heads simultaneously and leveled identical glares at the younger boys. Several minutes and several (relatively) friendly blows later found all four sitting in a circle just off the side of the road, listening to Usopp's "harrowing tale of heroic adventure."

"So, I allowed myself to be captured so I would be taken to Arlong's base of operations, where I hoped to rescue Zoro."

"Except I was already sprung," Zoro noted.

"How could I have known that?" Usopp shrugged off the interruption. "They tried to get me to talk, but I wouldn't break! I was just about to make a daring escape, when I literally ran into Nami. It was odd..." Usopp trailed off, expression changing from smug to thoughtful. "I remember she said that I was 'in her way,' and I'm pretty sure she didn't mean just physically."

"Must be pretty embarrassing to be followed home by your marks," Zoro suggested.

"Don't you see," Sanji sighed, rolling his eyes, "she's under this fake sheriff's thumb! She's bravely trying to avoid involving anyone else in her troubles. Such a noble lady..."

"Noble, my foot!" Zoro mumbled to himself.

"She said that to us, too," Luffy mused. "That she killed you 'cause you were in the way, I mean. In the way of what, though?"

"That's a long story." They all turned to find a blue haired woman standing in the road.

"Nojiko!" Usopp blinked in surprise. "Is that man from town alright?"

"Trust me," Nojiko sighed, "Genzo's had much worse. I'm surprised you all haven't left by now."

"Didn't feel like leaving, yet," Luffy offered with a shrug.

"Everyone," Usopp remembered his manners, "this is Nojiko, Nami's sister that I told you about. Nojiko, these are Sanji, Luffy, and Zoro." He pointed to each man as he said their name.

"I'm surprised to see you're still alive and kicking," Nojiko addressed Zoro. "Usopp told me Arlong's men captured you."

"Your sister let me go," Zoro informed her. "What's this about a long story?"

"There's a reason Nami's working for Arlong. I'm not necessarily saying it justifies some of the things she's done, mind, but she _does_ have a reason. Would you all care to hear it? I'll tell you, if you promise to leave afterward."

"Naw." Luffy stood and brushed dry grass and dust from his pants before heading on down the road. "We only just got here, so I think I'll go take a look around," he called back over his shoulder.

"Go on and share, if you want," Zoro offered before sprawling out in the grass for a nap, "but it looks like we'll be hanging around, whether you want us to or not."

"I'd love to listen to your melodious voice share the story of the lovely Miss Nami," Sanji cooed.

"We'd like to know what's going on around here," Usopp agreed.

"I suppose I'll have to start at the very beginning," Nojiko decided as she took a seat. "Nami's and my adopted mother, Bellemere, decided to join the cavalry as soon as she was old enough. She would have gladly fought, if she were allowed, since she knew how to handle guns, having grown up on the frontier, but they would only allow her to be a nurse. The cavalry was investigating a settlement that had been attacked, when she found Nami and me. She brought us back here to Coco and her small family farm. We never had much, but we were happy.

"Everything changed eight years ago. Back then, the silver mine was still very small, the strike very recent. The town was excited and hopeful that it might bring more prosperity to Coco. It _did_ bring us attention, just not the sort we ever would have wanted.

"I guess Arlong decided he was tired of life on the run, or maybe being an outlaw wasn't profitable enough. He made a deal with a corrupt marshal to provide him a steady share of the mine's profits in exchange for overlooking his past and being sheriff.

"They swept into town one day and turned all our lives upside down. They instituted a protection tax and tried to start everyone working in the mines right away. Genzo and some of the others in town tried to hide Nami and I because they knew we didn't have enough money for the tax, but Bellemere knew they couldn't hide us forever. She tried to make a stand, but..." It was unnecessary for Nojiko to finish that sentence. There was a moment of solemn silence.

"I don't mean to sound rude," Usopp finally spoke up, "but I don't understand what any of that has to do with Nami working for Arlong."

"Did Nami ever tell you what her greatest skill is?" Nojiko asked, rather abruptly. "Besides stealing, that is." Both her listeners shook their heads in response. "Nami draws maps. After the silver strike was made, she took an interest in geological maps. She has an almost uncanny knack for it. If she knows the location of a strike, and the terrain around it, she can predict the extent of the vein and even other potential strikes nearby. Even back then, her maps were amazing. She had drawn one of Coco for Bellemere and given it to her that very day. Arlong found it and decided to have Nami make him some more. He took her away with him.

"We didn't hear anything for days! Finally, Genzo, the doctor, and a few others went up to Arlong's place to ask for Nami back. She met them at the gate and told them that she didn't want to come back. Arlong promised to give her whatever she wanted, if she'd keep making maps for him. I was devastated when they came back without her... Then, I was angry, but I could never really believe she'd betray Bellemere's memory like that.

"Bellemere was buried on our property, not far from the house. One night, I heard noises, and when I went to investigate, I found Nami paying a visit. She'd been sneaking out at night. She told me that she made a deal with Arlong. He promised her that if she continued to work for him and could bring him five hundred thousand dollars, she could buy Coco back from him. She never said as much, but I think he probably threatened the town's safety, too.

"She's spent eight years stealing whatever she could and trying to tempt Arlong away with strike claims in other locations. I can't be sure exactly how much she's got squirreled away already, but I think she's actually getting close."

"She's afraid," Usopp realized. "She thinks we're going to ruin her deal! Doesn't she realize that we'd help her, if she let us?"

"Nami's never been very good at accepting help," Nojiko chuckled bitterly. "She's always been very independent."

"Arlong doesn't seem the sort to be very trustworthy," Sanji commented. "Mightn't he have lied?"

"Absolutely," Nojiko replied seriously, "but Nami has to believe him, because if he lied, she'll have suffered eight years of torture for nothing."

There was a sharp sound somewhere in the distance that was unmistakeable as anything but a gun shot. Zoro shot upright like he'd been bitten.

"Did that come from town?" Usopp wondered.

"No," Nojiko mumbled, face white as a sheet, "that came from the direction of my farm!"

**End Notes:**

"Quirley" is old west slang for a hand-rolled cigarette. The cactus thing is pretty self explanatory! XD

I tend to be highly annoyed by the "Miss Nami" of the Funimation dub. I'm not sure why, since it's more or less a direct translation... _Anywho_, it works pretty well in a Western, but I still tried to use it only sparingly.

Poor Bellemere doesn't even get to be an actual soldier, due to a random urge for semi-authenticity. You've gotta hand it to the OP Marines for being pretty gender equal!

The 500,000 dollars for Coco is based (sort of) upon an arbitrary inflation rate of 2,000% from approximately 1880 to the present and the original 100,000,000 beli from canon. (I know, I know... If I were being literal it would be 5,000,000, but that seemed like waaaay too much!)

I don't know anything about geology, but I figure, if Nami can have weather senses in a sailing setting, she can have ground senses in a land-based one.


	22. Betrayal

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 22- Betrayal**

Luffy tipped his hat back as he strolled casually into town, whistling a tune softly. Unlike Usopp's trip down the main street, there were people out and about. Impassive eyes watched Luffy pass, but no one called out or approached. That is, until he passed what must have once been the town jail. It looked more or less like every other jail Luffy had ever seen, except the sign had been removed from this one.

"Haven't seen you around here before," mused a man leaning against a post. Luffy immediately recognized that this man either was or had been an authority figure. It was an air those sort of people gave off unconsciously. He had a bandage on his neck. "Just passing through, I suppose?"

"Yup," Luffy agreed. "Sure is awful quiet 'round here!"

The man looked like he was considering responding to that, when both men heard horses approaching. They turned to see a group of riders. The man in front wore a prominently placed marshal's badge. Luffy also thought he looked a bit like a rat, but that was neither here nor there, really.

"Are you the former sheriff, Genzo?" the marshal asked. Apparently, he had a knack for identifying authorities, too. "My name is Marshal Nezumi. I've been told you know all the residents here?" Genzo nodded. "I need you to show me to one of the local farms. Family by the name of Dunn?" Say... Wasn't that Nami's last name?

"What reason could you have to go out there?" Genzo frowned.

"Official business." The marshal's smile was disconcerting, to say the least.

***

Nami stormed past the farm house on her way to Bellemere's grave. She paused at the woodpile to give it a few sharp kicks. She bit back a scream of frustration and took a few deep, calming breaths.

"Relax," she ordered herself. "You're so close, now..." Almost involuntarily, her eyes drifted to a small shed behind the main house. It wasn't used for much of anything on the farm, except storage space. A trapdoor in the floor concealed a very special hiding place indeed. Nami gnawed her bottom lip and started to walk toward the small burial plot, when she heard a voice.

"Nami?"

"Genzo?" Nami whirled around. "What are you doing here? Why..." she trailed off when she noticed that Genzo wasn't alone. He was accompanied by a group of riders and, much to Nami's annoyance, Luffy. She pointedly avoided acknowledging the boy.

"Nami Dunn," Marshal Nezumi addressed her in a cold, formal tone, "it has been brought to my attention that stolen money may be on these premises."

Nami clenched her jaw and glared at the marshal. She, of course, recognized him as the man with whom Arlong regularly met. It wasn't difficult to deduce from where his tip had come.

"Anything on this property belongs to me and my family," Nami seethed. "You have no right!"

"That's not for you to decide, now is it?" Nezumi sneered down at her. He broke eye contact to address his men. "Search this whole area thoroughly." His men obediently dismounted and began to fan out.

This indignity, on top of everything else, was the final straw for Nami. With an inarticulate bellow of rage, Nami lunged back toward the woodpile and grabbed ahold of the axe resting nearby. She swung wildly at the closest man, the back of the axe head connecting with his forearm with a satisfying thunk. He fell back, clutching the injury, expression shocked, and Nami turned toward her next target. Then a gunshot brought everyone to a standstill.

"Stop making this more difficult than it has to be, Miss Dunn," Nezumi insisted. He had fired the warning shot up into the air, but now he trained his revolver on the enraged girl. Nami reluctantly let the axe fall from her hands. "Continue searching," the marshal barked.

Nami watched helplessly as the men tore through the area around the house, leaving no stone unturned. She managed not to react when they started looking through the shed. Maybe they would miss the trapdoor.

"Sir, are you sure it's here?" one of the men asked. "You'd think we'd have found _something_ by now..."

"It's not going to be sitting right out in the open, idiot," Nezumi scolded, rolling his eyes. "Five hundred thousand dollars is a substantial sum, however, so it will take up a certain amount of space. Keep looking!" If Nami had held any lingering doubts about where Nezumi had heard about her stash, the fact that he knew the exact amount involved would have dispelled them.

"We found it," a voice called from within the shed. Two men emerged, carrying a trunk between them. They set it down and flipped open the lid, revealing bundled stacks of bills. Some were significantly worse for wear, but the sight remained an impressive one. At a nod from the marshal, the trunk was closed and latched. The men started to bring it over to a pack horse.

"No," Nami shouted, forgetting about the gun and diving toward the chest, "I won't let you take it!"

"Foolish girl," Nezumi scoffed, shaking his head, and prepared to fire. Just as the shot rang out, a figured pushed Nami out of the way.

"Nojiko!" Nami gasped, recognizing the figure that had tackled her to the ground. She also noticed the bloom of fresh red on her sister's shoulder.

"We have what we wanted," Nezumi told his men. "Let's go." The marshal decided it would be prudent to make his exit while Nami was distracted.

"Nojiko," Nami repeated in a sob, shaking her sister's uninjured arm. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine," Nojiko sat up, grimacing. "I think it's just a graze." She turned an angry glare on the red head. "What were you thinking, Nami? It was only money! You know that's not worth dying over!"

"You know very well it wasn't 'only' money," Nami retorted. "All those years... I was so close!" Nami curled into herself, hands threaded in her hair. Nojiko started to reach out a comforting hand, but was stopped by one on her own shoulder.

"Come on, Nojiko," Genzo urged, "let's go let the doctor take a look at that shoulder. Give Nami a little space."

Nami didn't notice when they left, or the fact that Luffy hadn't.

"So close," she mumbled it like a chant, rocking slightly, "so close." Then she brought her hands down to her sides and clenched both fists, surging to her feet. "Damn you, Arlong!" She yelled it into the empty sky.

She looked down at her fisted hands and scowled. Her hands and her gift with maps were what made her valuable to that monster. She walked over to the wall by the wood pile and slammed her fist into it. She winced slightly at the sting, knowing she had struck hard enough to bruise the knuckles. She gritted her teeth and punched again, and again. Even when she noticed the bloody smudges left behind on the wall, she struck again.

Finally, a hand grabbed her wrist firmly, preventing her from doing any further damage. She wiped away the tears she hadn't even realized had been streaming down her face with the back of her other hand and looked over to meet Luffy's eyes. She saw sympathy there, as well as a fierce determination. She had seen that very same look once, right before the fight at the Bar K.

"Luffy," she sobbed the name like a plea. After all she'd done to Luffy and the others, the terrible way she had treated them, she hated to ask for anything, but at the same time, a part of her knew that the offer of assistance had always been there, waiting. "Help me..."

When he didn't respond immediately, she closed her eyes and slumped forward. Then she felt something light and slightly scratchy placed on her head. She blinked, realizing Luffy had given her his hat. The hat that he had told her was so important to him. She looked up to find him grinning broadly at her.

"Of course we'll help, Nami." Nami realized that the other three men were standing behind him. They had arrived with Nojiko, but kept back, out of the way. Each bore the same determined expression that had graced Luffy's face so recently. "Right guys?"

"I am ever your humble servant, Miss Nami," Sanji agreed, bowing.

"Arlong's got it coming to him," Usopp stated. "Besides, I still owe you one!"

Zoro locked gazes with her. They both knew he'd never say as much out loud, like the others, but he cared. "Let's go bring some pain," he said instead.

Nami watched them go, walking down the road in a line, and managed a smile. The spark of hope she'd thought lost when Nezumi took her money crackled back to life.

**End Notes:**

There is no tattoo in this AU, so I went with another sort of self-destructive anger.

Zoro's last line is rather ridiculous and it doesn't really fit, but I'm too lazy to be bothered with changing it...


	23. Let the Fun Begin

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 23- Let the Fun Begin**

It took an embarrassingly long time to find Arlong's estate. Usopp hadn't exactly been focusing on remembering directions when he was brought in as a prisoner and had been only semi-conscious on his way out again. Zoro kept trying to lead them off the road because that was the way he'd travelled. Finally, they found themselves looking down at the main house from a hill to the east. On the bright side, if they had approached by the main road, they would probably have been seen already.

"Right," Luffy stated with a decisive nod. "Let's go!" He only got about a foot down the hill before he was tackled to the ground by all three of his companions.

"Idiot!" Sanji seethed. "You can't just barge down there and kick in the door!"

"Why not?" The others were temporarily stunned by the fact that Luffy's question was _completely sincere_.

"They'll shoot you," Usopp finally answered in the slow tone reserved for answering particularly stupid questions.

"Oh," Luffy shrugged. "So, what _do_ we do, then?"

"We need a plan," Zoro mused.

"Well, obviously," Sanji snorted. "I suppose you have one?"

"Why would I say, 'we _need_ a plan,' if I _had_ one?" Zoro retorted. "I woulda just said, 'I have a plan.'"

"Do you think they're expecting us to attack?" Usopp wondered.

"I would be," Zoro replied absently, eyes roving over the area below them. He hadn't seen any signs of movement, and that was suspicious.

"Hold on, though," Sanji interjected. "They only know about two of us, right? I can't imagine they'd be too terribly worried about retaliation from only two people."

"They know there are more people in the group-"

"Gang," Luffy interrupted Usopp to correct him.

"_Gang_," Usopp conceded with a roll of his eyes. "They were trying to get me to tell them everything, remember?"

"If they're holed up in that house," Sanji grumbled, "it will make things considerably more difficult for us."

"I volunteer to remain here, as back-up, if needed." Zoro and Sanji exchanged a knowing glance and then simultaneously gave Usopp identical looks that were equal parts amusement and disdain. It was a little disconcerting...

"You know," Zoro finally announced, "I don't think Arlong's even home, at the moment."

"What?" Usopp blinked. "How can you be sure?"

"It's too quiet down there," Zoro offered, shrugging. "There should be _some_ kind of activity visible, if they're waiting for an attack. Besides, take a look at that paddock." Obligingly, the others all looked carefully at the enclosure adjacent to the stables.

"I see," Sanji chuckled. "Unless they keep the horses in their stalls all day, some of them ought to be out, right?"

"Where would Arlong have gone?" Usopp placed a hand on his chin as he considered the question. "The mine perhaps?"

"Don't know," Zoro grunted. "Don't much care either, but we'll want to get between him and the safety of the house."

"I volunteer to remain here, as a look out, to let you know when Arlong approaches." Usopp floated his slightly altered plan again.

"Let's go!" Zoro snagged the back of Luffy's collar before he could get very far.

"We'll still need to sneak over there," Zoro cautioned. "If it's anything like the last time Arlong left, there'll be a guard."

"Maybe if you belly crawl over, your hair will blend in with the grass." Sanji couldn't resist taunting the gunman a little.

"You just wish you didn't have a permanent target on your forehead," Zoro countered. "Still, that sort of approach might work. Only a few windows face this way, and the curtains are drawn."

Sanji slung his rifle across his back, the others all checked their weapons, and they crept down the hill and up to the side of the house. Usopp was just about to peek over a window sill and into the house when they heard the screen door to the front porch creak.

"Guard?" Usopp silently mouthed to the others. No one decided to grace the query with a response.

They slunk along the side of the house and peered around the corner to see a man sitting in a chair. He had his seat tipped back as far as he could manage without tipping over, his feet propped on the porch railing and a hat down over his eyes.

Sanji decided to take the initiative in this instance, and crept silently up the porch stairs. He was scarcely a foot away from the stupidly negligent sentry, when a board squeaked underfoot. The man looked up just in time to see the sole of a boot rapidly approaching.

***

Arlong met with Marshal Nezumi at the mine for the hand off of the marshal's portion of the silver and to receive his cut of the stash retrieved from the Dunn property. He had offered to let the man stay the night before beginning the trip back to his usual residence. Nezumi had declined _that_ offer, but he readily accepted additional men to help guard his money on the return trip. Thus, when Arlong arrived back at his estate, he was accompanied only by Kuroobi, Chu, and Hatchi.

As they got closer, a figure could be discerned, sitting on the porch. Initially, Arlong thought he was asleep, it _had_ happened before, but then he noted how limply the guard's arms were hanging and, as they got even closer, a trickle of blood down the side of his face. He was about to bring it to the attention of the others when they were suddenly surrounded.

He recognized Roronoa and the long-nosed boy but not the other two. All four men were armed, even though one only had a slingshot and the dark haired kid held his weapon like he wasn't entirely comfortable with it. Subtly, he slid one hand to a coil of rope hanging near his saddle. He tied one end around the saddle horn as he spoke to draw attention away from his hands.

"Well, well. Is this your entire circle of friends, Roronoa? One would think a gunman of your reputation would surround himself with comrades a bit less... green?" He chuckled at his own pun.

"I'm not in charge of the group," Zoro informed him. "Am I, Boss?"

"Nope. I'm the boss." The dark haired boy, hmm? Really...

"Well, _Boss_," the fourth man, a blond with a rifle, drawled sarcastically, "are we just going to stand here all day?"

"No." The boy scratched his nose absently. "That would be boring. I wanna fight Arlong man to man. He made Nami cry."

"What about the rest of us?" The long-nosed boy sounded nervous.

"You can fight one of the other guys, if you want," Luffy suggested.

"Dismount, all of you," Zoro barked. "Keep your hands where we can see them, and don't try anything funny."

Arlong and his men complied. Arlong had used the short conversation to tie a loop in the end of the rope not attached to the saddle. He carefully arranged the rope so it wouldn't tangle.

"I can't say as I think fighting you is worth my time, boy," Arlong sneered at him. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Luffy D. Monkey," he answered. "I'd say, 'pleased ta meet ya,' 'ceptin' I ain't."

"How would you like to play a little game?" Arlong's teeth gleamed wickedly as he grinned. "How much do you trust your little gang?"

"They're good guys." Luffy had enough good sense to be wary of his opponent. "I think I'd trust any one of 'em with my life."

"That's an excellent answer. Shall we test it?" There was a very brief, tense moment before all Hell broke loose.

Zoro spied Arlong's makeshift lariat, but he had no time to shout a warning. Arlong tossed the rope loop over Luffy, pinning both the boys arms to his sides, and slapped his horse's rump, hard. The horse took off at a full gallop, dragging the unfortunate boy behind.

Arlong, Kuroobi, and Hatchi dove for the porch, drawing their weapons as they went. Similarly, Zoro and Sanji ran for the limited cover that a nearby utility shed provided, bullets chasing them the entire way.

Chu started to turn for the porch, when he felt something small and hard pelt the back of his head. He turned to see Usopp pull himself onto the horse closest to him. The two of them were being ignored by the others.

"You called me worthless earlier," Usopp smirked down at the former outlaw. "Care to try me out for real?" He turned his mount and took off toward the hills, in the direction of the mine.

Chu rubbed the lump on the back of his head and glared. Arlong and the others were in a standoff with Roronoa and the blond. It didn't look like he was needed here, and he felt like teaching that little punk a lesson. He remounted his own horse and pursued the boy with the slingshot.

The firing between the others had reached a temporary lull.

"How long do you think that horse will keep running?" Arlong tossed out the question casually. "Someone really ought to go help that boy. There's still a horse here one of you could take to go find him. Of course, that person would have to get past us, first..."

Zoro clutched a fist to his chest, panting slightly, face pale and drawn.

"You alright, gunman? Have you been hit?" Sanji really didn't have time to deal with an injured idiot, three armed opponents, and Luffy's situation all at the same time.

"Not today," Zoro grunted. "We're in a damn tight spot, though."

"We'll just have to find a way out then, won't we?" Sanji smirked challengingly at his companion. "Unless you're not feeling up to the challenge."

"I can handle anything you can." Zoro returned the smirk. "Better even. We'll need to be quick about it. I expect Luffy's not having much fun right now."

Sanji reloaded his rifle from his bandolier. "Let the fun begin..."

**End Notes:**

I couldn't help putting in that "can't just kick the door down" line, because I love how that's exactly what they _did_ in canon!

My incapacitation of Luffy is a bit... extreme. It was the best I could come up with at the time, though.


	24. Mad Dog and Englishman

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Extra A/N: **Anticlimactic gunfight will be anticlimactic! (I think you know who you are! ;P)

**Part 24- Mad Dog and Englishman**

Luffy suppressed a sigh as the horse that had been dragging him slowed to a stop. The animal was still acting very skittish, and anything could set it off running again. Luffy preferred to avoid that...

He hadn't the faintest idea where they were anymore. Everything looked different from a flat on the ground perspective, most of the scenery had passed in a blur, and a rock had temporarily knocked Luffy senseless at one point during the wild dash. He sat up slowly and looked around. Low hills and dry grass surrounded him as far as the eye could see. Well, _that_ narrowed it down...

Luffy flexed his arms, hoping that the dragging had weakened or loosened the rope holding him. Nope. He managed to get his feet underneath him and stood. The horse snapped its head around at the sudden movement, eyes wide.

"Oh no," Luffy whined plaintively, "not again..."

The horse bolted.

***

Nami allowed herself some time to cry the tears she'd been holding back for what seemed like a lifetime. One hand firmly gripped the brim of the precious straw hat, while the other wiped the last few salty drops from her cheeks.

"That's quite enough feeling sorry for yourself, Nami," she scolded out loud. "Now, get up and go do something about it!" She simply refused to sit back while others put themselves in harm's way in her name. Jaw set determinedly, she started the long walk to Arlong's.

On her way through town, she ran into a small crowd outside the old jail. Most were holding hoes and shovels, and they all looked mighty angry. Nami spotted Nojiko and hurried over to her sister. The other girl gave her a reassuring smile and waved with her injured arm, as though proving the wound was nothing but a trifle.

Genzo stood in the middle of the small circle of townspeople, memento saber fastened at his belt.

"We've let that scoundrel grind us under his heel for too long," he declared to much nodding and grumbled agreement. "We know he'll have sent some of his men with the Marshal, and we've some outsiders fighting for us, even now!" The former sheriff's eyes softened slightly as they settled briefly on Nami. "I say we take back our town or die trying!" The tiny mob roared their approval.

"_Don't say that!_" Nami knew there was an hysterical edge to her voice, but she didn't care, so long as she was heard. "Please," she added in a softer tone, once all eyes had turned to her. "I know how hard the last eight years have been for all of you, but please don't throw your lives away."

"It's long past time we made a stand," Genzo insisted. "We all should have done this from the very beginning."

"I guess I can't talk you out of this," she sighed, head tilted forward and bangs concealing her expression, "so I'm going with you!" She grinned recklessly up at the man who was the closest thing to a father figure she'd ever had. He beamed back at her and tossed her a walking stick, before turning to lead them all out of town.

They were almost out of sight of the town when Genzo held a hand up for silence.

"Does anyone else hear that?"

Nami was about to reply in the negative when she noted a faint sound that appeared to be growing louder and approaching at a pretty good pace. It sounded like a long, drawn out "oh." The end of a word perhaps? Finally, off to their left they could make out a a cloud of dust drawing nearer. She recognized Arlong's horse just before it thundered past, directly in front of them, dragging a body behind it.

"I said, 'Whoooooooa...'" the poor battered soul's voice trailed off after the quickly departing animal.

"Luffy?" Nami blinked, instinctively putting a hand to the hat still firmly on her head.

"Somebody needs to help him!" Nojiko stated firmly.

"I'll go with you," Genzo volunteered. "The rest of you go on ahead. Be careful!" Nami watched her sister and Genzo leave the road, following the horse at a brisk jog.

"How does he get himself into these messes?" she wondered. Still, she couldn't keep a slight smile from quirking the corner of her mouth. Nami fought her face back into a determined frown. If Luffy was in trouble already, it didn't bode very well for the other three.

***

Things back at Arlong's home remained at a standstill. No one was even firing anymore, everyone saving their bullets in order to make each one count. Arlong wasn't enjoying the fight as much anymore, but he figured he could fix that.

"We seem to have reached an impasse," he called toward the shed. "Why don't we settle this face to face?"

"We're not dumb enough to just take your word for it." The gunman's gruff voice was muffled from shouting around the corner of the small building. "How do we know you won't just shoot us as soon as we leave cover?"

"I'm a man who enjoys a good fight," Arlong chuckled. "There's no real fun in shooting fish in a barrel."

"What's your plan, then?" the blond rifleman inquired.

"We'll face you one at a time," Arlong offered. "Hatchi's been itching to test himself against you, Roronoa. He's heard a lot about you."

"That I have," Hatchi agreed, boldly stepping out into the open space between the porch and the shed. "It can be very difficult to weed out the lies and exaggerations, however. Why don't you come on out and show me what you've got?"

"Those are fighting words, if I ever heard them." Zoro lurched out from behind the shed, despite Sanji's protests. "You just might regret calling me out."

"Really?" Most men would have asked the question in a mocking tone designed to further aggravate their opponent. Hatchi asked with genuine curiosity. He really had heard a great many stories about the Devil's Gunman, but of all the things he might have expected, a pale, sickly looking teenager hadn't even made his list. "You're not afraid are you?"

"Shut up!" Zoro snarled, swaying slightly on his feet.

"It's been a long time since I've been in a good gunfight," Hatchi rambled, completely ignoring Zoro's icy glare, "but it's possible you might have heard something about me, too. They used to call me the Octopus." Hatchi brushed the sides of his duster back, revealing six holsters along his torso. "They used to say I was so fast on the draw, I must have extra arms!"

"Speed isn't everything," Zoro mumbled. He blinked the sweat out of his eyes, vision blurring in and out of focus. "You've got to have something else to back it up."

Hatchi let his hands hover over the two topmost holsters, fingers wriggling. Then, in the space of a few heartbeats, he had drawn, fired, and replaced all six guns. Zoro never flinched, even when one of the shots grazed his left ear.

"Impressed?" Hatchi asked, grinning broadly.

"That was mighty fancy," Zoro conceded, "I'll grant you that, but it just won't cut it if you can't make every shot count." He let his own hands drift down over the grips of his two main guns.

There was short stretch where time itself seemed to hold its breath while the two gunmen stared at one another. Hatchi reached for a gun, only to have it shot out of his hand. The process was repeated until the older man found himself disarmed and facing an opponent with more than enough shots left to put him in the ground.

"Me," Zoro grinned darkly, "I don't do tricks." He fired a shot into each of Hatchi's shoulders and watched the man crumple to the ground before falling to his own knees.

Kuroobi stepped down off the porch and started to walk over to the oblivious gunman. However, a figure stepped between him and his intended target.

"I'm afraid not," Sanji chided in a cool tone. "It's my turn now, you see." Kuroobi noted that the man no longer had his rifle in hand.

"Fighting unarmed, are we?" Kuroobi sneered at his foe.

"A rifle's not much good to me at close range, now is it?" Sanji countered.

"Fine by me," Kuroobi smiled wickedly, unbuckling and discarding his own gun belt. "I've always preferred the hands on approach."

Without any warning he swung a fist at Sanji's head, followed closely by a leg sweep that the cook only narrowly avoided. He was quick to retaliate with a kick of his own that was expertly side-stepped by Kuroobi. They circled each other, occasionally exchanging blows, while Arlong watched the proceedings with a predatory smirk.

Subtly, Sanji directed their movements closer to the last remaining horse, which was currently grazing on a clump of grass a short distance away. In fact, it was on the slope of the very hill from which they had approached the property. If he could distract Kuroobi, he might be able to make a break for it and go after Luffy. He noted that Zoro had dragged himself back to his feet and was watching Arlong warily.

Sanji also took note that his foe fought chiefly with his upper body, though occasionally resorting to kicks. Sanji faked a kick to one of Kuroobi's knees, pulling the blow at the last moment and transferring the momentum into a roll past the outlaw. Unfortunately for Sanji, Kuroobi had seen him looking at the horse, and the chef found himself knocked to the ground by a kick at the back of his own knees.

He rolled quickly to the side, barely escaping an axe kick that would have impacted his skull. He tucked his powerful legs beneath him and launched himself at the temporarily unguarded Kuroobi, driving one rather bony shoulder into the other man's gut. Smirking with satisfaction at the sound of the wind being knocked out of his opponent's lungs, Sanji spun toward the horse again.

He paused to catch his breath part way through his climb to the horse, turning to look out from the relative height, seeking any sign of Luffy. His eyes widened as he saw Arlong's horse had come full circle, stopping behind the main house, out of view of Arlong and Zoro. He couldn't tell whether Luffy was moving at all, at first, but he let out a sigh of relief when two figures approached the prone boy. This quickly transformed to dread, however, when he realized he didn't see Kuroobi anywhere. He scarcely had a moment to process the thought before a body slammed into his back, sending them rolling back down the slope. Sanji cursed himself for not noticing his opponent sneaking around behind him.

The chef managed to snag two handfuls of Kuroobi's shirt and pull them into a face to face position as they rolled down the hill. He tucked his legs in and used the momentum of the roll to boost his own kick, sending Kuroobi flying just before his own body slammed into the ground at the bottom of the hill. The outlaw sailed through the air and through the window in the side of the main house with a crash.

Sanji dragged himself to his feet, wiping away a trickle of blood from a small cut to his scalp sustained in the tumble. He started to head behind the house when he heard a cry of pain around front. Oh, that was right, Zoro was still back there with Arlong...

"Abrasive bugger probably won't even appreciate the hand," Sanji sighed and limped toward the front of the house.

**End Notes:**

I _have_ mentioned that I hate gunfights, haven't I? Well, I still do! DX Poor Hatchi barely gets any focus at all, and then his fight's over too quickly because of the stupid guns... At least Sanji's fight is decent.

Originally, I wanted Arlong to make a comment about "only mad dogs and Englishmen," but the earliest I can find that phrase in usage is the 1930s. Sadly, that means it got relegated to titling only...

Luffy being dragged past kind of broke up the dramatic tone, but it was too funny to me to not use it! XD


	25. The End is Near

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 25- The End is Near**

Usopp tried to keep as much distance between himself and his pursuer as he could, hoping to provide himself with a little preparation time at his destination. Unfortunately, Chu was the better rider, and he was forced to dive behind a nearby boulder for cover.

"Well," Chu called out mockingly, "this is familiar..."

Usopp planned a route further up the slope to the main mine entrance. He'd have to take it in quick bursts. He hoped his opponent would keep talking so he could tell where the other man was.

"If I recall," Usopp jumped when the voice was nearer than he'd expected, "the last time didn't end too well for you." Chu was now directly on the other side of the boulder. It was as good a chance as any! Usopp dove toward another nearby rock, tucking and rolling to present the smallest possible target.

Apparently, Chu hadn't seen him. Usopp peered around his hiding place to see that Chu had his gun drawn and was scouting the area, eyes narrowed.

"Why don't you surrender, instead of running like a scared rabbit?"

While Chu's head was turned in the opposite direction, Usopp dashed to another large rock, even closer to the mine entrance. That time he _was_ seen, a bullet striking the ground just behind him as he took cover.

"You aren't really heading for the mine, are you?" Chu scoffed. "Hiding in the dark won't save you, you know!"

Usopp said nothing to confirm or refute Chu's hypothesis. He needed some sort of distraction... The former outlaw was still ahorse, so with a silent apology to the animal, Usopp dove to the side and hit the horse on the flank with a well aimed pebble. While his foe tried to regain control of his mount, Usopp scrambled over to the relative safety of the mine entry.

"There has to be one around here some place," he mumbled under his breath, frantically scouring the ground around him. "Aha!"

Wary of being caught by the same trick again, Chu had dismounted. He stood a short distance from the mine entrance, next to a low outcropping, ready to dive for cover if necessary.

"That hole is just a dead end, boy!" It was just another taunt, so Chu was slightly taken aback when he actually received a reply.

"I know." The kid actually sounded _calm_! "Here, catch!" A rather large object came flying at him from the mouth of the shaft, and Chu instinctively reached out and snatched it out of the air.

"A lantern?" Chu was incredulous. "Is this an invitation to follow you in there?" He held the lantern up by the handle, the main body swaying slightly.

"Not as such." Chu was about to further question the boy when a pebble came sailing out of the mine, striking the base of the lantern. Chu could only watch as the body of the lantern swung around, spilling kerosene on him and the ground directly around him. He spluttered and glared at the dark opening in the hillside.

"I suppose you're hoping that will keep me from firing at you?" Chu groused.

"Hmm... I honestly hadn't thought of it that way," Usopp mused. He pulled the sharp, black rock he'd found earlier from his pocket and took aim at the ground at Chu's feet. "It certainly won't keep _me_ from firing at _you_!"

The rock set off a lovely spark when it struck the rocky ground, setting Chu on fire. With a wail of dismay, he threw himself to the ground, rolling around in hopes of quenching the flames. When he finally came to a stop, Usopp was looming over him. The boy smirked triumphantly and slammed a fist into Chu's face.

"Damn," Usopp hissed. "That _still_ hurts!" He shook out the injured appendage and headed off to collect the horses, who had been frightened off by the flames. "I wonder how the others are faring?"

***

Nami and the small crowd of townspeople reached the main gate of Arlong's property at about the same time as Sanji rounded the corner of the house. Zoro was on his hands and knees in the dirt, with Arlong standing over him, a shotgun gripped in both hands. From the look of things, the gunman had taken a blow to the gut from the butt of Arlong's weapon.

Sanji rushed forward and made to land a kick to Arlong's side, but the man had seen him coming and blocked the kick with the barrel of the gun and backhanded the chef before he could recover.

With both men at least temporarily incapacitated, Arlong turned his attention to the townspeople. He aimed the weapon at the center of the group, where a shot would do the most damage, and sneered.

"What's this? Finally decided to find your spines after all these years?" Several people shifted nervously under his calculating gaze. "If you all run along home like good little citizens, I might be willing to overlook this... incident."

"We're not afraid of you anymore, Arlong!" Nami challenged. "Look around you! You're outnumbered!"

"That may be true," Arlong conceded, still grinning wickedly, "but I'm the only one with a gun. If you rush me, you're bound to lose several people in the process. Are you all really willing to die for this pathetic excuse for a rebellion?"

"Everyone here knows that's a possibility." It was the truth, but Nami could sense the unease coming off the people around her in waves.

"Shall we test that dedication?" Arlong prepared to fire into the group, but strong hands grabbed his ankle, tugging backward. The shot fired harmlessly up into the air.

***

While Arlong was addressing the group from town, Zoro dragged himself over to Sanji. The chef had just pulled himself into a sitting position and was gingerly massaging his bruised jaw.

"I thought you were going after Luffy," the gunman scowled. "What are you doing back here?"

"Someone's already helping Luffy, if what I saw was any indication. I thought you told me you hadn't been hit!"

"Never said I wasn't hit," Zoro retorted. "All I said was, 'Not today.'" Sanji's eyes widened in realization.

"Your injuries from your duel with Mihawk haven't had a chance to heal properly! Are you _trying_ to kill yourself?"

"Things look like they're about to get ugly." Zoro was pointedly ignoring discussing his injuries, instead focusing his attention on Arlong's actions. "You need to go make sure Luffy gets back here. I can buy you some time, but it won't be much."

"You can't be serious-" Sanji was cut off by a sharp glance that, in no uncertain terms, said Zoro was _very_ serious. He lurched to his feet and bolted for the area behind the house, forcing himself onward even when he heard a gunshot behind him. That bloody gunman had better not get anyone killed...

***

"_You!_" Arlong seethed down at the gunman gripping his ankle. He shook him loose with a vicious kick. He followed this with another sharp kick to the dazed gunman's ribs. Momentarily forgetting his other targets completely, Arlong let his shotgun fall to the ground and hauled Zoro up by two fistfuls of his collar. Zoro was scarcely able to remain upright on his own, and Arlong shifted one hand down to grasp his shirtfront, pulling the other fist back to strike. He felt a sticky dampness on the fingers clenching the shirt and paused.

"What's the... mattter?" Zoro panted mockingly. "You... tired already?"

Arlong shifted his other hand back to Zoro's collar and examined the blood staining his left hand and Zoro's clothing.

"What's this?" He took another fistful of the right side of the gunman's shirt and tore the item open, buttons flying, exposing the other man's torso. Nami gasped from behind them and there was a short, stunned silence.

The initial wound near Zoro's collar bone was bleeding again. The area was red and inflamed, indicating the beginnings of infection. Repeated blows to the gunman's chest and abdomen had caused the angled entry to tear a short ways along the bullet track.

"_ARLONG!_" a voice thundered from somewhere behind the house.

"You're in for it now." Zoro chuckled darkly, a trickle of blood escaping from one corner of his mouth.

***

Luffy groaned and opened his eyes, not expecting to find himself looking up into two rather worried faces. It was the old man from town and that blue haired girl...

"I can't believe he's still conscious!" Nojiko whispered in awe.

"I don't think anyone has seen us, yet," Genzo mused, glancing toward the house. "We'd best get him loose. You think you can keep that horse distracted, Nojiko?"

"Certainly." Nojiko cautiously stepped in front of the exhausted animal. She took a firm grip on the horse's bridle and stroked its nose, mumbling platitudes in a calming tone.

Genzo knelt down next to Luffy and eyed the rope. He thought about trying to untie the knot, but the dragging had tightened it considerably and the rope had also become twisted in some rather unique ways. Finally, he simply cut the rope away with his saber.

"Thanks," Luffy rasped, throat dry from a combination of dust and yelling. "I sure am glad I'm not gonna be dragged anymore!" He sat up and started to pull himself to his feet.

"Hang on, boy!" Genzo placed a restraining hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Rest a bit."

"That does sound good," Luffy agreed with a lopsided grin, "but I've got a fight to finish."

All heads turned toward the house at the sound of a gunshot. A lanky, blond figure appeared around the corner of the building, staggering toward them at a full run. Genzo tensed and put a hand to the hilt of his saber.

"Sanji!" Luffy hollered a cheerful greeting, and Genzo relaxed again.

"No time for pleasantries," Sanji gasped, pausing to catch his breath once he'd reached the small group. "Arlong's still standing. Zoro insisted upon stalling for us, but he's not in good shape."

Luffy's expression snapped from happy to stony in the blink of an eye. He pulled himself sharply to his feet, the rush of adrenaline drowning out the aches and pains from being dragged behind the horse.

"_ARLONG!_"

**End Note:**

I'm sure most kerosene lanterns had some kind of safeguards to prevent exactly this sort of thing from happening, but then I couldn't have set Chu on fire... Please excuse any blatant lantern related inaccuracies--I really don't know that much about them!


	26. Final Battle

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 26- Final Battle**

As Luffy strode into view, coming from behind the house, Arlong tossed Zoro away. The gunman skidded along the ground for a few feet, then lay still. Arlong glanced over to his discarded shotgun. He could reach the weapon in a few strides, but Luffy was rapidly closing the distance between them. Luffy himself was unarmed, having lost his hold on his own weapon at some point while being dragged behind the horse.

"You're a surprisingly tenacious individual, young man," Arlong chuckled, inching slowly toward his weapon. "Most anyone else wouldn't be able to stand, after what you've been through."

"My grandpa used to say I was like a rubber ball." Luffy's face and tone remained dead serious as he spoke. "I bounce back." He suddenly darted forward and slid, kicking the shotgun away again before Arlong could put a hand on it. Luffy then sprang to his feet, launching a vicious right uppercut. Arlong managed to lurch backward and dodge the blow. The former outlaw swung an arm out in a retaliatory blow, but Luffy was no longer in the same spot. Arlong sidestepped an unexpected jab to the gut, catching a glancing blow to his side. He rapidly backpedaled, hoping to put some space between himself and his opponent. One of his feet slid in the dirt and he fell to one knee.

"I guess this will teach me to underestimate an opponent." Arlong grinned slyly, locking eyes with Luffy. He closed his fist around a handful of dirt and waited for Luffy to move in for an attack.

"I learned something too, you know," Luffy remarked, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. The boy paused expectantly.

"Oh?" Arlong decided to humor him, hoping to prompt Luffy into action.

"Yeah." Luffy lunged left, then spun on his toe and swiftly changed direction. Arlong recognized the feint too late, and the handful of dirt meant to blind Luffy hit nothing but air. "You fight dirty," Luffy informed him, from right next to his ear. Arlong never even saw the blow coming.

As he pulled himself back to his feet, Arlong's carefully maintained composure broke. He had obviously become too complacent in this quiet town. It had been too long since his last real knock down, drag out fight, but if this punk thought he was going to be some sort of pushover, he was dead wrong.

"That's enough fooling around," Arlong snarled, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I haven't been fooling around," Luffy countered with a shrug. "If you haven't been taking this seriously, that's your own fault."

Arlong growled and stepped forward, fists raised. The two men exchanged a flurry of blows and blocks, dancing around one another, bobbing and weaving, searching for a weakness in the other's defenses. After a few, long moments, they backed off temporarily to catch their breath.

"Not bad, for a brat," Arlong grunted begrudgingly, "but not good enough." He had managed to maneuver himself close enough to his shotgun that all he needed to do was bend down and grab it. Luffy noticed his eyes darting to the weapon and they both lunged for it at the same time. Arlong's hand reached it first, clamping onto the stock, but Luffy got a grip on the barrel scarcely a moment later. Arlong scrambled to pull the trigger, but Luffy directed the blast harmlessly into the dirt at their feet.

Luffy tried to pull the gun away from Arlong, but he pulled back just as fiercely. Changing tactics, Luffy instead shoved the gun away from himself, ramming the butt of the weapon into Arlong's stomach. Arlong's breath left him in a rush and suddenly numb fingers relinquished their grip on the gun. Luffy tossed the weapon away again and hauled the gaping Arlong up by his shirt collar.

"I oughta kill you," Luffy hissed, eyes narrowed. "You sure enough deserve it! I won't, though."

Sanji, Genzo, and Nojiko appeared around the side of the house, the girl leading the now much calmer horse. Luffy dragged the still dazed Arlong over to the animal and heaved him up and across the saddle. He used the remains of the rope used against him originally to bind Arlong's wrists and ankles and then connected the bindings under the horse. Luffy moved so he could look Arlong directly in the eye as he spoke.

"I won't be here to stop you from trying to come back here, 'cause I plan on heading further west, but I don't think these fine people here'll have any problems taking care of your sorry hide, if you try it." He smirked and raised one hand, holding the flat of the palm above the horse's rump. "Enjoy your ride!" The hand came down with a resounding smack, and the horse was off like a shot.

Luffy's smile faded as his eyes settled on the still form of Zoro. The gunman hadn't moved an inch since Arlong had tossed him to the ground.

"Hey, Zoro?" Luffy called over to the body. "You dead?"

His only response was a low snore.

Nami walked up beside him, the straw hat held firmly by the brim in both hands.

"Thank you, Luffy." There were tears in her eyes, but the smile was genuine. "I wish I knew how I could make it up to you..."

"That's easy," Luffy told her, snatching the hat from her and placing it back on his head, where it belonged. "Join my gang and call me Boss." Nami snorted.

"Anything else, _Boss_?" Luffy thought it was funny how she said it in the exact same tone Zoro and Sanji used. Must be some special tone reserved for really great bosses like him! His stomach growled loudly.

"I'm hungry."

"I think we can take care of that," Nojiko laughed. The small crowd cheered in agreement.

"Well, isn't this sweet," a voice sneered from behind them, startling everyone. They turned to see Marshal Nezumi and several of his men, including one leading several pack horses, one with the chest from Nami's. "I came back to, er, _renegotiate_ the terms of my agreement with Arlong, but it seems I've found a perfect opportunity, instead."

"Huh?" Luffy asked, confused.

"With Arlong gone, I'll take over this operation, and all the mine's income will go to me! Everyone clear out of here, and no one will be harmed." Nezumi's men drew their weapons and everyone gasped in dismay. All but one.

"You interrupted a celebration." Nezumi's eyes widened in surprise and he turned to see Zoro standing right next to his horse, a revolver pointed at the marshal's face. No one had noticed Zoro slip up beside the man, it was like he'd appeared out of thin air. "That's mighty rude."

"S-stand down, men!" Nezumi ordered, swallowing audibly.

"_You_ listen to _me_," Nami commanded in an icy tone. "This town is free now, so _you _clear out, before we decide to do to you what we did to Arlong."

"Of course!" Nezumi's tone was oily and ingratiating. "We'll just be on our way, then!"

"Hold it." Nami walked up on the opposite side of Nezumi's horse from Zoro. "Leave my money and the gold you got from Arlong. I know you've got it with you." Nezumi nodded frantically and commanded that Nami's chest, as well as some others, be unloaded. "One more thing." Nezumi didn't like the smile on Nami's face one bit. "This is for shooting Nojiko!" The marshal suddenly found the end of a walking stick making contact with the side of his face.

"Get going," Zoro prompted, poking Nezumi's knee with a second gun. Sanji, meanwhile, had retrieved his rifle. Both he and Usopp, who had arrived quietly moments earlier, leveled their weapons at Nezumi.

"Don't try and double cross the lady," Sanji advised. "We'll be watching you until you're out of sight, and believe me, my long distance aim is impeccable."

"Take the rest of this garbage with you," Genzo added. While they had been talking, he and several of the men from town had gathered up Kuroobi and Hatchi. Chu was already bound on his horse.

"You'll all pay for this!" Nezumi seethed. "I'll make sure they put prices on your heads!"

"Woohoo!" Luffy cheered. "How much?" Nobody else seemed fazed by the threat. With an angry huff, Nezumi turned and led his men away. True to their word, Sanji and Usopp kept them in their sights until they were out of view.

"Alright, everyone," Genzo announced gleefully, "let's go spread the good news!"

**End Notes:**

As seems to be the way of things in this story, I'm not too find of this Luffy fight. Maybe I should have let Arlong get in a few hits? Not that it isn't fun just having Luffy mop the floor with him...

I had to go back and check the manga to see who confronts Nezumi first, and it made me laugh. One panel, Nezumi's standing there smugly with a crowd of marines behind him, then Zoro's suddenly _right behind him_ in the next. The marines all have these fantastic "WTF?! Where'd _he_ come from?!" expressions on their faces! XD


	27. New Frontier

**Disclaimer: **All the characters herein, with the exception of some random extras, are the intellectual property of Eiichiro Oda and all the companies involved with publishing and production of the One Piece manga and anime. I just twisted 'em a bit.

**Spoilers/Warnings:** This story will eventually encompass the entire first season of the anime, which is up to about halfway through volume 11 of the manga, just so you know. This is an AU, so many things have been changed/altered/warped to suit my needs. Also, there is some language and violence.

**Pairing: **None. However, I like subtext, so you can probably find hints of just about anything, if you look for it.

**Dedication: **To the OP at the fanforall at LJ, for requesting a cowboy AU and spawning this in my brain. Many thanks to Dandy Wonderous for beta-ing.

**A/N:** Name order for all characters has been westernized. Don't like it? Tough cookies! I do not claim to be an expert on anything involving gun fighting, the old west, or the cavalry. I did some very basic research for some of this, but I probably got lots of stuff wrong. Humor me!

**Part 27- New Frontier**

For a town that had been oppressed and milked dry for so many years, the residents of Coco were able to pull together quite an impressive celebration party. Many residents had squirreled away contraband ranging from alcohol and aged cheeses to fireworks and festive streamers. Apparently, some had never given up hope of eventual freedom.

The once empty main street was now bustling with merrymakers. All tables that could easily be removed from their usual spots were dragged out to create a haphazard buffet. All doors were left open, allowing people to move freely in and out of the homes and businesses lining the thoroughfare. Joyful laughter and singing rang through the air.

Zoro wasn't much for crowds, but he'd much rather be out celebrating than where he currently was. At least the party had booze... He let out a pained hiss and bit his lower lip with a grimace as the doctor dug around with a pair of forceps, searching for bullet fragments.

"You ought to have had this looked at days ago," the doctor scolded gruffly. "Infection was beginning to set in on you, and some of these shrapnel bits came mighty close to piercing your lungs, boy." Mihawk's bullet had broken up on contact with one of Zoro's ribs, leaving pieces behind as others continued along his ribcage and further. He was extremely lucky none of his organs had been damaged. "This is going to leave a pretty nasty scar..." The doctor had sliced open the bullet track, removing fragments and cleaning the wound as he went along. Zoro's torso would now bear a long, jagged mark from his left collarbone to just above his right hip.

"Good," Zoro grunted. "It'll remind me how much I still need to improve."

"Golly, Zoro! You still in here?" Luffy peeked around the frame of the front door of the town's small clinic. "You're missing all the fun!"

"Sorry, Boss," Zoro managed a chuckle through clenched teeth, "but I ain't got much choice at the moment."

"We'll be done here soon," the doctor commented as he threaded a needle in preparation to stitch the wound closed.

"I wonder if we can find a doctor to join the gang," Luffy wondered aloud as he headed back outside.

***

Everyone enjoyed the rare opportunity the celebration provided them to relax and forget the problems that would need to be dealt with the next day. The town had a lot of rebuilding and neglected maintenance waiting. Luffy's gang had long, dusty, boring days of travel ahead. For this one night, though, none of that mattered.

Luffy made it a personal mission to try every single dish that had been prepared for the evening, at _least_ once. Zoro finally got to enjoy some of the secret liquor stash, as well as some rather interesting samples "liberated" from Arlong's property. Usopp found an eager audience of children, and a few adults, willing to listen to any stories he felt like sharing and also willing to accept any and all embellishments without question. Sanji spent approximately equal time between questioning locals about dishes new to him and chatting up the young, unattached, female residents. Nami made sure to visit personally with every member of her childhood home, and to make one more visit to Bellemere's grave with Nojiko.

The sisters weren't the only ones to pay a visit to the gravesite. Genzo wasn't a very frequent visitor, but this was a special occasion. The former, and by unanimous vote reinstated, sheriff knew that Bellemere would most likely have been the loudest and most rambunctious of the revelers, had she survived to see this day.

"We finally finished what you tried to start eight years ago," he told the headstone.

"Huh?" Genzo couldn't help jumping slightly at the unexpected voice behind him. He turned to see the boy with the straw hat.

"I wasn't talking to you," Genzo explained, cocking his head toward the grave. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I dunno," Luffy replied with a grin and a shrug. "I must of got turned around."

"_Very_ turned around," Genzo agreed, both eyebrows raised. "Town's back that way." He pointed out the path back to town, though anyone within a few miles of the place ought to be able to find their way by the noise alone.

"Thanks! I wonder if there's any good grub left..." Luffy turned and started back toward the lights of Coco.

"Hold on a minute, kid," Genzo called after him. "You planning on taking Nami along, when you leave tomorrow?"

"If she wants to come," Luffy nodded. "I hope she does. She's a lot of fun and she always knows where we're going!"

"She's had a rough time of it." Genzo turned his gaze back to the grave. "I expect her to see better days from here on out. Otherwise I might have to do something about it." When he looked back over, Luffy met his gaze, expression completely serious.

"I understand." Luffy's stomach growled audibly and a wide smile broke out on his face. "First things first, though. I'm still hungry!"

Genzo watched the boy amble back to the party, shaking his head in amused confusion. He wasn't sure Nami had any idea what a future with that group would be like. Although, maybe, upon reflection, that was the appeal...

***

"Everybody up," Nami chirped, moving about Nojiko's main room, nudging blanket covered lumps with her toe. "We'll want to get an early start!" She was met with grumbles and groans, but no cooperation until the nudges became kicks.

"Where's Nojiko?" Usopp wondered, after noting her conspicuous absence.

"She likes to take a walk first thing in the morning," Nami explained casually. "We've already said our goodbyes, so we don't have to wait for her. Now, hurry up!"

When Luffy complained about a lack of breakfast, he was pelted in the face with a piece of fruit. No one else tempted fate, though they were all a bit curious about the rush. It wasn't until they were almost out of sight of town that they heard a commotion and saw people emerging from their homes, meeting up in the middle of the main street.

"What's going on down there, do you suppose?" Sanji mused.

"I expect everyone's just noticing my farewell," Nami chuckled, grinning mischievously. She had left her chest of money behind, claiming it belonged the whole town. Clearly, however, that wasn't to what the residents were reacting.

"What did you do?" Zoro was trying for a reprimanding tone, but it came out more like grudgingly amused.

"Nothing much," Nami shrugged, glancing over at a small chest she had loaded on the wagon just before leaving. "I just took a little memento of everyone..." All those open doors last night had been very helpful.

***

Later that evening, they all sat around a small campfire. Sanji was still trying to decide what to prepare for his first official dinner for the group. He had been less than satisfied with the sandwiches he had prepared for lunch earlier. Sure, they were easy to eat on the move, but _anyone_ could throw together a sandwich.

"A nice, hearty soup perhaps," Sanji mumbled, exhaling a smoke ring. "Maybe hash?"

"I'm sure whatever you decide on will do nicely," Nami insisted.

"I shall make sure it is a most memorable delicacy for you, Miss Nami!"

"At any rate," Zoro rolled his eyes, "where are we heading now?"

"I want to go to the rest of the frontier!" Luffy bounced up and down, his excitement contagious. "It'll be an adventure!"

"In stories," Usopp interjected, "they often start out a quest with some sort of big send off."

"Ah!" Sanji perked up and disappeared behind the wagon, returning with a bottle in hand. He made another trip for an assortment of cups and mugs, one for each of them. "I noticed this champagne in with the rest of the lot from Arlong's," he explained, "and thought I'd save it for a special occasion. Let's make a toast to our goals, shall we?" The champagne was distributed, Zoro grumbling that the cook ought to have picked something stronger.

"I'm going to be the most infamous outlaw, ever!" Luffy thrust his mug to the center of the ring.

"I'm going to be the best gunman this world has ever seen." Zoro held his mug next to Luffy's, careful not to let them touch just yet.

"I'm going to map the entire frontier," Nami chimed, adding her own cup to the other two, "keeping the knowledge of all the very best strikes to myself, of course!"

"I'm going to bravely explore places no one else has ever set foot," Usopp proclaimed, "and have the sort of adventures that put every book I've ever read to shame!"

"I'm going to find a place that will be a perfect crossroads for trade, where I'll be able to cook anything I can imagine and never run short of fresh ideas!"

"To dreams!" Luffy crowed, a little champagne sloshing over the edge of his mug.

"To dreams!" A great deal more of the champagne was lost in the fire with a sharp hiss, as they all clinked their cups together.

"So," Sanji sighed, after polishing off his champagne, "back to the subject of dinner..."

"Whatever it is, can you start it soon?" Luffy whined. "I'm _really_ hungry..."

"You're _always_ hungry!"

"How about-" Nami stopped mid sentence, as something slithered through the grass behind her. "What was _that_?!"

"A snake! A real big one, too!" Luffy hooted, grabbing Usopp by one arm. "C'mon, Usopp, let's catch it!" He dragged the other boy into the brush.

"B-but, Luffy, it's already getting dark! Besides, what if it's poisonous?" Usopp's protests faded into the distance. Nami had bolted for the wagon shortly after the words "snake" and "big" passed Luffy's lips.

"Hey, cook," Zoro grinned, chin propped up on one fist, "how do you feel about beans?"

**End Notes:**

Yay, weird bullet behavior! I realize the scenario is _highly_ unlikely, but I really, really wanted to find a way to incorporate The Scar. Sort of Fun Fact: In the original LiveJournal version, I mixed up my right and left and the scar went the wrong direction. How's that for Zoro fan irony? XP

I'm not entirely pleased with cowboy Sanji's dream, but without a good equivalent to All Blue, it's the best I could do...

I couldn't help one more reference to snake and beans! XD If I had that on an icon, I would use it almost _all the time_...

I have marked this story as complete, but I am working on a few little extras that will _eventually_ get posted. Also, someday in the probably _distant _future, I plan to do a sequel/continuation.

Happy Easter and happy trails, all!


End file.
